


Vampire In London

by TheOutCastAyh



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dark Magic, Explicit Language, F/M, I Blame Tumblr, I Don't Even Know, I need help, Larry Stylinson Is Real, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, There's A Tag For That, Vampire Liam, Vampires, What Have I Done, Ziam Mayne is real, vampire Louis?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-04-24 21:32:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 55,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4936126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOutCastAyh/pseuds/TheOutCastAyh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a daring new boy in London and he has every body talking. "Stunningly muscular" and devastatingly "sculpted by the gods themselves". How ever, Liam Payne has a secret - he's a vampire. Zayn Malik is a dark, beautiful boy who enjoys drawing. He becomes fascinated by Liam, but he doesn't know why he's so secluded from people. His best friend, an understanding but secretive person himself, Louis helps Zayn piece together the puzzle. When bodies start turning up all over London, they begin to fear the worse. His friends tell him to report Liam to the police and he knows he should, so what's stopping him? He can resist Liam's bite, but can he resist his charms? Or will he be caught in the middle of life and death?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Helllloooooo. How's it going? I got this idea from using one of my handy dandy, notice how I say one because I have many, story generators that help me along the way if I get trapped on a part or need some help unblocking my writer's block. And wham! A story was born! I don't know how this will go, I don't know English customs in London. So if I criss cross "American" English terms with Original English terms - forgive me, I'm American. :D Any who, I hope you like this. If you want, if you'd like rather, find me on my other web thingy's. I'm nice, a little coo-kie, I'll admit, and if you need a hand or just want some one to talk to, I'm happy to help. :) My name is Ayh, If you don't know, and I'm a sophomore in the US. I love writing, and my boys - One Direction -. I love music, any kind, and I'm just... some times boring, but fun in thinking at the most random moments. Any whore, back to writing. I hope you enjoy this little story, if I like it, I continue writing it. If I don't, I'll take it down and start some other story I guess. :D I hope you're having a wonderful day/ morning/ night, and I hope you'll have another good one the next. :) Take care. Drink lots of water, eat your food, and keep warm. It's getting colder and we don't need you getting sick. :) -Ayh

" _I'm fine, mom_. "

"Oh, but,  _Zayn_ \- you're always worrying about the tiniest things. Maybe you shouldn't go out there just yet, honey."

"I'm fine." He laughed, "You're the one's who's always making me worry. Going about, working jobs." He waved his finger at her as she passed with a box, "You know, maybe this way you could save up on those electric bills." He joked, taking the heavy box from her straining arms.

She swatted his arm lightly, "Oh, shush." She said, folding another shirt and putting in the box. "This house will be quiet, though."

"Mom." He warned.

"I won't get all teary just yet." She said folding a shirt at a slower pace, "I mean, why can't I cry? My boy's going away to get his degree, living on campus, growing up-."

"Mom!" He smiled, "I'm not being sent off, I'm going to visit. It's better to live there than travel back and forth," he put the shirt down and clasped her hands, looking into her eyes. "Uni is going to go by in a flash, I can assure you. I'll get my degree, then I'm coming right back home." He nodded, "I'll open up my own shop, and we'll be living off of the money I get."

"That's what worries me. Living bill to bill-."

"It won't be like that." He shook her hands, "We'll buy a better place then this one, yeah? Pizza on Friday's, and parties on Saturdays."

She laughed, "You wish."

Zayn smiled. "It'll be the life we never lived, better."

She shook her head, "I wouldn't change anything in this life, love." She cupped his cheek, "I'd miss out on the good parts with you in it."

He smiled back, and grasped her hand in his. "I'm serious, mom." He said, "When I come back from Uni, we'll go out some where nice. Celebrate my graduation." He nodded, "Just you and me."

"Look at you. I've always been takin' care of you, and now look - you're takin' care of me."

"That's how it's supposed to be. The man's always suppose to swoop the lady up, and give her things she never had."

"No," she patted his shoulder, "I'm alright with this gem right here."

He smiled, and looked down at the box. "Why don't we take a break? Have some dinner together?"

"I'm cooking?"

"Nope." He smiled, "I'm cookin'. You," she clasped her shoulders and brought them along the halls, "Get to relax."

"I think I'll just help with the side dish, we can't just have pizza-."

"But then you wouldn't be relaxing-."

"What fun did that ever do?" She laughed, as they walked along the stairs and into the kitchen.

 

_They ran along the alley ways, screaming for help. Feeling their lungs burning from inhaling the Autumn air, and their feet wanting to give out but every time they'd look back - fear injected them with another scream and reason to run._

 

"You know, supposedly, the school was scored," Zayn called out over his shoulder as he sprinkled over the shredded cheese onto the pizza. "One of the best."

"Oh really?"

 

_They screamed out for help but no one could hear them, a nightmare following through the dark. A lingering creeping feeling bringing only torment and pain, they dipped around a corner only to be met with the same haunting shadow. Bright eyed even in the dark alley, the victim turned around and started running again only to come to a stop with the same mirror shadow. The nightmare neared as they screamed bloody murder._

 

Zayn turned his head, his eyebrows pulled down as he heard something. The ding of the oven. He walked into the kitchen and shuffled on his gloves, pulling out the finished pizza he set it down on the cutting board to cool.

"Smells lovely." His mom said walking in and going into the cabinet.

"Made by," he pointed to himself, "yours truly."

She laughed, shaking her head. She pulled out a bottle of wine, "You know, I thought I would never have the day or time to do this-," she pulled two wine glasses from the cabinet as well, "but this is a new kind of celebration."

Zayn watched as she poured a glass, and another, she held out a cup to him. "What is this?" He asked, a smile on his lips.

"Take it."

He put down the gloves and took the glass as she pulled up her own and turned to him.

"Zayn." She smiled, looking into his eyes. "I was going to share this bottle of wine with a partner, but - let's all face it, that day won't be coming."

He shook his head, "Mom-."

"Ah, let me finish." She put her hand up and waited, "But I found that I only needed one man in my life. And that's my son." She smiled, holding up the cup. "This is to you and always taking care of me. I couldn't ask for anything better than this, right here, this life, this moment, you." She raised her cup some more, "To my son."

He shook his head smiling, "Am I allowed to say something?"

She waved him on.

He looked to the cup, then to the room. He raised it, "This is to a good life. It may not have been the best financially, but - we're making it through." He paused, "There was no man to show me what was wrong and right, but I didn't need one to show me that. I have a mom who loves me, and I'm thankful for her." He smiled, watching her. "I'm glad that every day I can wake up to a house over my head, and to a woman who accepts me for who I am, and what I'm doing. I'm grateful that she does every thing in her power to make sure I'm safe, and happy. That I'm healthy all the time, and that I'm always keeping my head up high. I'm glad that I could be the son to a woman so beautiful, and loving, and warm." He raised his cup to her level, "Here's to not knowing about tomorrow, and living tonight." He smiled, "Because for all we know, I could have never done with out you."

He could've sworn their were tears in her eyes when they'd clinked glasses and drank down their wine together, she pulled him into a tight hug. His head resting on her's, and his wide arms wrapped around her. "You know you mean the world to me, right?"

"I do." He mumbled, closing his eyes as they swayed lightly.

"And if anything were to happen to you, I'd come right in a flash?"

"Yes."

"If you're ever lost, or want to just come back home - you do that. Don't wait for me to pick up the phone, just come over, and come in." She squeezed him tighter. "I want you safe."

"And I don't want you to worry, mom." He kissed the top of her head, "I'll be fine, and you won't have to worry about me."

"Oh, I'll always worry about you," she rubbed his back stepping away to look up, "It's my job to." She smiled patting his side, "Now to the pizza." She said turning to it.

 

_Silence echoed through the alley way as the shadow crept along. The body of the victim dragged into the dark corner and blood dripping their collarbone and shoulder. It was the beating heart he'd longed for, but didn't last long enough for him to love it. Their blood crisp as he licked away the remains from his lips and fingers, his sharp teeth pulling back into their sockets as he stepped into the light of the streets. He looked around seeing nothing but cars and closing shops along the way, stuffing his hands into his pockets he ducked his head and hid in the shadows until sun would come up. After all - he'd be surrounded by people the next morning, in a new surrounding of a Campus. Who knew living an immortal life was so secretive?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Your lovely writer, Ayh, here. How's it going? Fine, I hope. :) So this is the first chapter, tad-dah! I finished my last story and got this idea from one of my may random plot generators and had the idea given to me by it. So - in interest, I'm doing it. I'm In my school, so I will be updating as much as I can and when I can. School is shit, let me be honest here, I hate it most of the time but it has it's shining moments. Also, I am in high school and know nothing, completely and absolutely nothing about years in college/ universities let along in England, so if I mess up and make a dork of myself - it is not my fault. I swear. :D On with the show, I hope you liked the first chapter. If you did, please leave a comment or kudos t let me know if I should continue. If you're shy, do with what you will. Party, whisper, fine by me. :) I understand. If your wild and open, comment, go crazy - not too crazy - and yeah. Personally, if you feel that you're a bit lonely, or sad, or maybe want a friend - I'm here for you. Contact me on any of my social media's Instagram (@who_not_larry), tumblr (iamhumanletmebreathe), or wattpad (TheOutCastAyh), and dm me saying you're from Ao3 and we'll just have a chat or some thing. Whatever floats your boat, and steers you ship. Like I said, i'll update when I can, and be the best to my abilities with this story. If I get lazy, in which I do in some point of a story and not update for a long period of time, after a good six or seven days - comment and remind me. I'll see it and be on it as soon as possible. So, yeah, I hope your day is alright, I hope you're happy, and okay. If you need a friend, most likely, go to my instagram and dm me. I'm always on, 23/7 - mostly always to be honest... school's shit to me. Anyways, have a wonderful day/night/afternoon. :) You are loved, remember that. -Ayh


	2. Chapter 2

The sun beamed in Zayn's eyes as he shuffled his bags out of his mother's car, she was already coming around the back to help.

"You've got everything? Phone, money?"

"Yeah."

People swarmed by, bags and rolling suitcases with them as they met up with friends or wandered off to the hall already to receive their schedule and class automatically.

His suitcase wheel's touched the damp floor, the morning rain already passed.

"You know what to do right? Do I need to go inside and ask?"

"Mom." He laughed, "Everything is fine, I've got this under control." He smiled down to her, she was nothing but a 5'6 foot woman with skyscrapers of love to share. "Lou's going to be here any moment, he knows what to do."

"I know, but I worry."

"Too much, sometimes." He opened his arms, enveloping them around her securely. "You've got nothing to worry about, mom. I will be safe here, I can promise you that."

"You won't go to those parties? I know how those can go." She patted his back.

"I won't, I promise." He smiled to her pulling back and pulling the handle of his suitcase up. "I'll call after I'm settled in, alright?"

"Alright." She smiled sadly to him, cupping his cheeks. "When did you become so grown?"

"I never did." He kissed her forehead, "Because I'm still the kid I was nine teen years ago." He assured, "I'll be alright." He said again, before slinging his back pack of empty notebooks and his laptop over his shoulder. His laptop charger, phone charger, and every single thing he'd ever need for a life time stuffed in that thing to the brim. "I'll call."

"I know."

"I'll make sure to check up on you."

"I know."

He stared a moment more, a smile growing on his lips. "I love you."

She smiled widely, hugging him some more before letting him go. " _I know_." She mumbled, rubbing his back and looking up at him. "Now, go on." She said, handing him the suitcase handle. "Before I start crying in front of you." She joked horribly.

He laughed anyways. "I love you." He repeated, starting for the campus.

"I love you too."

"I love you more!" He yelled with a wave, finally turning away from his mother's waving and smiling face, he looked to the massive campus of his next three years. The campus was crawling with life.

 

A collective group had formed by the posts and posters in the middle of the campus by a fountain that danced in cherubs and a dolphin spurting water from it's blow hole, all each surrounding it with colorful skateboards and penny boards of all sorts. Their backpacks and suitcases by their sides. A few people scurried past him, headphones on their ears as they scooted by. A whole group by their cars, playing their music from their speakers like they didn't have to check into their rooms and classes just yet. The trees were turning and tossing in the wind lightly, their leaves clapping as if to welcome the people around them. Several hanging around while some actually entered the double doors, inside holding the very future of Zayn's.

 

People flooded the main halls, flags of the school's mascot draped the walls and hung from the ceiling. A vast staircase ahead of them, the halls wide and encased in maroon and tan banisters, the white polished floors spotted here and there with splatter paints of the same colors on the walls. It smelt new, a bit too much like plastic straight out of the case, but it was welcoming. There was a slight difference between the people just coming into the school and the staff, the staff scoring the school's merch sweaters and hats in tan lettering of a bold L and U while the rest of the color stood maroon. People were directed this way and that way, he'd been directed to the gymnasium like most.

 

Coming up to three pairs of double doors, he stepped through and heat overwhelmed him. Banister's of past scores from the school teams hung from the ceiling of the gym, the walls fading in it's school colors but still new, the room heavy with heat while over four thousand students flooding the room, moving around, sitting on the aisles of bleachers, and getting in lines where their last name letter was propped up on a small card with a snake of a line followed behind it. There was so much noise, Zayn was lost for a moment before he was knocked into by another person.

 

"Oh. Sorry!"

Zayn turned, meeting blue eyes. "It's alright, mate." He assured, and looked back to the gymnasium.

"Didn't see you there." He said, standing beside Zayn absently to the crowds. "Well, shite." He huffed, his hands on his hips with his bag beside Zayn's. "What's this all about then?"

"Think it's the lines where we're in our dorms for the next year."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows, chewing back on his gum. "How the hell would that work?" He sighed again, before tossing his hand out. "How are ya'? 'm Niall Horan."

Zayn shook his hand, "Zayn Malik."

"Pleasure to meet'cha. Say," he said, continuing this one sided conversation, "you wouldn't know which way was which?"

Zayn looked around, "We're standing by letter K." He stated, "Doesn't look like there's any sort of direction past that."

"Shite." Niall called again, he huffed. "Well, might as well start some where." He looked right then left, but didn't move. "What're ya' here for?"

Zayn stood confused.

"What major?"

"Oh." He cleared his throat, "Arts."

"Really?" He said entirely interested, "What'd ya' plan on doing when ya' out'ta here?"

"Tattooist."

Niall's eyebrows raised, "You're good at drawing, I hope." He laughed, "Maybe if we meet again, you could show me some stuff you've drawn?"

Who was this complete and open stranger and where did he get his courage to rip things through people's boundaries and call it public? Zayn nodded anyways, "Sure." He mumbled, looking around in hopes of finding Louis in the crowd. Odds are uneven, he wouldn't.

"Oh-. I think I see a bud of mine." Niall said looking over the crowd, "That long limbed boy." He laughed, waving his hand and sure enough - Zayn could see a hand waving over the crowd, a head of curls behind it. "Why don't we go together and find our lines?" Niall insisted, already booking it through the crowd some how.

 

Zayn looked around to see if anyone else noticed this Irish men practically bulldozing his way through this massive crowd. No one did. With all that told him not to follow, he did anyways. Maybe he'd find Louis in the heart of it all, he was always one to be in the middle of crowds anyways. When he'd pulled behind the Irish man, Niall was down right smothering the taller lad in a bone crunching hug that he didn't seem to mind. The curly head pulled into a colorful bandana, his arms slung around Niall with an anchor on his wrist, a few tattoos that Zayn stared at wandering up his arm.

 

Niall finally pulled back, noticing Zayn there. "Oh! You followed." He smiled widely, "Zen, this is my best mate Harry. I just met him." Saying the last part to Harry, pointing to Zayn. "He's going into the Art major, tattoo artist he wants to be." He said proudly as if Zayn were his son.

Harry held out his wide hand, "Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you. 'm Harry Styles."

"Zayn Malik." He repeated, as if he were a broken record.

"So, Art major?" Harry smiled, his green eyes captivating, "That's pretty cool, I have all the respect for tattoo artists." He flattened his hand over his chest, "Most have the greatest minds and have the eye for detail. I would expect you're going to be one of the best."

Zayn nodded, quietly.

"I can already tell Zen's going to be the best," Niall keened, "No one will out beat him." He smiled, watching Zayn's quiet expression never change.

Harry pointed down the aisles, "Have you figured out the aisles yet?"

"I don't have a clue." Niall said, turning right. "We're at letter K. None of us here has a our last names in K."

Out of pure strength, Niall seemed to have summoned one of the staff because one had just passed and he just snagged them in time.

"Excuse me, which way do the letter's go?"

"A is that way," the staff member pointed to the left hand corner of the gymnasium from where they stood, "if you follow all the way down, and down there," he pointed in the opposite corner, "you'll find your letter. Mr-?"

"Horan. He's Styles, he's Malik." Niall pointed to each, as the staff member nodded.

"H is just a few over left of you, M is a few right of you, and S is in one of the corners. You'll find it if you just follow the letters, I know they snake around and come back this way some where."

They'd bid their thanks and thought to do drop offs to each letter, "H is just three over, might as well start heading that way." Niall patted Harry's shoulder, "Wish me luck when I get my class, hopefully it's around yours." He said, giving him another big, suffocating hug before backing up.

"Lunch should be around the same time, we'll meet up?" Harry said as Niall already started walking.

'Yeah, just give me a call, 'lright? Don't get lost." He jabbed his finger at Zayn, "See you around, mate." He smiled before turning and bustling into the crowd.

Harry was left standing beside him, he cleared his throat when they met gazes. "Guess we should head off to M then." He gave a polite smile, gesturing his hand out. "Onward." He pressed pulling his matching grey luggage along, and Zayn seemed to follow him as well. Harry hummed the letter as they went, seeing L and coming to M he stopped short and looked back to Zayn. "This is your place."

Zayn stopped to the long leading line, that shortened only to become longer again.

Harry whistled, "Wow, quite a line here." He huffed, "Wonder what mine looks like." He smiled, giving Zayn's shoulder a pat. "See you around hopefully, and good luck on the tattooing."

"Thanks." Zayn called out as Harry shimmied through the line to go through the other side and search for his letter S.

 

Zayn wondered if Harry would see Louis there, Louis would be the line right next to him, he's Tomlinson. Looking down the line, he sighed and tried finding the ending to it. It seemed to never end, until he actually found it curving around the N and O lines. As confusing as it would ever be, he'd never experienced so much claustrophobia in one hour than most. His phone buzzed here and there from Louis texting him, saying he was in his line and the line was massive. So long that the line actually snaked outside into the courtyard, and that he was sitting at one of the lunch tables because they hadn't moved in a while now.

 

When the time came and Zayn saw the table in front of him, he gave his last name and was directed to his dorm building. There was even worse. There were several majors in one dorm, six dorms in all. Twelve floors of complete noise and people, almost seven hundred fifty students in each building. Zayn wasn't surprised if it collapsed while every one was asleep. Walking in, he came to four main windows of offices and people being given pamphlets, keys, and schedules. The lines leading out the doors, down the steps, and maybe even around the campus twice - he wouldn't know. After another long wait of an hour to the front of the line, he'd received his key, schedule for the first semester - a simple slider and thin paper that he'd slide up a slot a day a time, a nine day schedule that insisted of class and free periods -, and a pamphlet giving him information to the schools lunch times, library, events, and a eight by eleven inch map of the campus grounds. He was a wedge in the corner.

 

Getting up to his seventh floor, people passed as others opened their doors and the unoccupied one's opened wide for the students to enter and close the door behind them. His door stood wide open, meaning Louis hadn't gotten his key yet or probably didn't even leave the lines in the gymnasium. He wandered into the room and stared around before he dropped his bag on top of his suitcase and closed the door behind him, the voices and music shut out by the heavy, hard wood door. Silence was deafening.

 

He looked around the simple room. Two twin sized beds sat in maroon colored duvets while the pillows and thin blanket were tan. A small table between them with a lamp sitting on it, and a clock ticked above it. Across their beds was a door into the tiny bathroom with a shower and sink, a small empty bookshelf standing outside of it with a vase with fresh potted plants in it blooming. The curtains swayed to the gentle wind coming through the cracked open widows, and a writing desk in the corner with the same matching colored chair under it. A closet door feet from the main door, and dresser beside the book shelf. A plush bean bag in the other corner, with a poster of the mascot hanging on the wall. A big Lion head roaring and flaring it's teeth, eyes wide, and fur orange. The London Lions.

 

Zayn shook his head, tossing his key on the small rack beside the door mainly for the keys themselves when the occupants were in the room. He shuffled his bag over to the furthest bed, and sat down. Looking to the silent and unmoving room, he sighed and laid back with a thump. Rubbing his eyes, he kept them closed a moment before he listened to the noise outside his room. He could hear the heavy steps of people passing his door, and the rolling of suitcases and bags go by. The curtains swayed lightly, but loud enough to hear the clank of the metal rod above it creak. The neighboring colleagues in their dorms muttering loudly how happy they were to be in the dorms, maybe even meeting some one for the first time and becoming friends.

 

He listened to the clinking of other keys in door way, and the laughing of people passing. The window letting in whispers of people on the ground floor, so far down that he couldn't even make out how many people were mangled in the still long lines of the campus. Today would be a day to relax and sit back, the woman at the window had said, for the people to settle in and get to know their dorm mates and get every thing out of their suit cases and bags. Do anything on campus to feel at home. All Zayn really needed was peace and quiet, and a bed to make him feel at home. Then again he was already missing his mom walking down the halls, humming songs that got stuck in her head while the smell of the softener from laundry rung through the air in the early mornings.

 

The doorknob turned, and sound exploded through the room again.

 

Zayn sat up.

"Zayn!" Screeched the kettle wielding maniac at the top of his lungs, he could've burst the windows out. He closed the door behind him, putting down his bags and kettle.

Zayn already on his feet and rounding the bed calmly.

"Zayn!" He yelled again, opening his arms and engulfing him in a tight, suffocating hug like one Niall had given Harry. The smell of Yorkshire tea leaking off Louis' breath as he laughed, shaking Zayn.

He laughed, patting Louis' back.

"Let me have a look at'cha. Huh." He said, pulling back to look at Zayn's bright expression. "It's good to see ya', mate!" He pulled him in for another tight hug.

"It's good to see you too, Lou." He laughed, hugging back.

"How you've been? What's going on?" Louis said when he finally stepped back, and refrained from suffocating Zayn or touching him at all. Hands on his hips, "We did it!" He cheered.

Zayn laughed, being tackled in a hug again. "What's got you so hyped?"

He pulled back, "You know," he crossed his arms over his chest, voice still happy and cheery, "I honestly have no f*cking idea, mate. I just know I'm in this room, sharing it for the next three years with my best mate. And it couldn't be any better." He smiled widely, "A day to sit," he jumped on the bed, laying down putting his hands behind his head, "and relax." He closed his eyes.

"Sounds like a plan for me." Zayn scoffed, walking over to his bed and unzipping his backpack. "Aye, I've been going through my music program, and made some sick beats."

"Awesome. Let me hear." Louis said sitting on the edge of his bed towards Zayn as he fished out his laptop and turned it on, handing it over Louis already logged in and opened the program. They were best of mates, known each other since primary school - why wouldn't they know each other's passwords?

"Mate," Zayn scoffed, picking up the kettle, "Why'd you bring this thing? You know there's a kitchen in the food court, right?"

"What's the point in travelling across the campus for a cup of tea, Z?" Louis stated over the laptop, glancing up and pausing momentarily in his clicking before going back to tapping around. "Track eight, right?" He asked, as he fished out his headphones from his bag.

"Yeah." Zayn rolled his suitcase over to the drawers, "Is it alright if I get the top three drawers?"

"Fine by me." Louis said, already bobbing his head to Zayn's tracks. "Dude, this is sick." He smiled widely, as he pressed his fingertips into his right headphone. "I'm digging this beat."

Zayn smiled as he put his already folded jeans into the drawers until his bag was empty, and Louis was scrolling through his other tracks.

"Hey, are we heading down to the café when you're done doing all that?" He gestured to Zayn already unpacking his suitcase and putting his shirts in the closet along with his shoes at the bottom of it.

Zayn shrugged, "If you're up for it, I'd rather just go off campus and get some pizza some where."

"What's the point in that when there's a kitchen in the food court?" He mocked, and Zayn chucked a shirt at him with a laugh. "Think we'll find any one around?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"We're here for a diploma, not chicks or dicks."

"Oh, come on!" Louis wailed, "Have a little fun for a while, and stop being such a church boy. We're in Uni, and there's plenty to choose from. I bet when we go to one of the parties, that you'll find some one and I'll tell you I told you so." He cocked an eyebrow at Zayn with a smirk.

"I think I'll pass on that one."

"You can't hide out in that little shell of yours all this year, you've got to live a little Z." Louis said, propping the laptop to the side on the bed as he untangled his headphones. "Come on. You're doing that thing again."

Zayn stood up, throwing his arms up. "What am I doing?" He smiled.

"You think that you're just going to get through this year without interacting with any one, and you're going to try and miss out on every party to 'study'."

Zayn rolled his eyes, shaking his head and smiling as he grabbed Louis' kettle and steam placement on the bookshelf, plugging it into the wall. "Look, I just want to at least get good grades in the first semester-."

"You're great at multi-tasking though!"

"And I don't think another person would be such a good balance to studying and tests." Zayn stated, taking his laptop off Louis' bed and sitting down.

"You're making me already want to switch rooms with some one else, and I've only been in here for about ten minutes."

Zayn laughed, shaking his head as Louis walked into the small bathroom. "And how do you plan on going through this year?"

"Beats me." He hung on the door, "I'm just here for the promised booze and weed." He smiled widely before closing the door, and Zayn was back to shaking his head to this crazy character of a friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It wrote this yesterday, October, 15, but edited it today, the 17th, and tad-dah! Finished! I hope you enjoy the chapter, and more to come. It's literally 3:56 am, and since I slept in the day time I'm not even tired but I'm going to bed before it wrecks my sleeping schedule entirely. Have a wonderful morning/ day/ night, and enjoy! You're loved, remember that. :) -Ayh

Zayn tucked his thin jacket close to him as Louis was going off about something beside him, waving his hands about as they walked along the path towards the cafeteria, gymnasium, and auditorium building in which distant bells could be heard going off to call supper in. For the people who'd stayed on campus, instead of logging out for a given hour to eat outside the campus and come back, they'd eat in the cafeteria and café, or eat anything they brought. It was a long way between the campus dorm buildings, past administration building, past the facility office, across the parking lot for the students and teachers who had cars until they'd finally reach the building. Another fall breeze swooped by and Zayn ducked his head down, leaves falling all around them.

 

"Sheesh." Louis said, looking back to the colored orange, red, and brown leaves forming a small tornado and fluttering off. "Guess we're sleeping with the windows shut." He joked shoving his hands in his pockets. "Hey." He nudged Zayn, "What do you think class will be like?"

"I don't know." He mumbled.

"I bet rows and rows of chairs and desks, a big, old chalk board in the front with a podium where the teacher stays." He smiled, "Like the movies."

"You've been watching too many school and college movies." Zayn smiled.

"Supposedly, I heard the Drama major teacher is mad. Like completely lost his head." Louis stated, "I haven't gotten to talk with many of the upper class here but rumor spreads that he eats meat raw."

"You have to stop believing everything you hear, it's going to get you in trouble."

"I'm serious, mate! He's going to eat me alive."

"Better him than any one else."

Louis elbows him, "You're sick."

Zayn laughed, his eyes looking over the parking lot.

"Hold up, I need to give a call to my mum. Tell her I'm in my room, she'd flip if she doesn't get a call." Louis said, pulling out his phone and Zayn could hear the phone hum as it rung in Louis' ear. "Yeah? Mum? I'm settled in." He said, absently kicking rocks with his feet and listening to his mom on the other end. "No, I'm bunking with Zayn." He covered the mouth, "She says 'hello'."

Zayn nodded with a smile.

"He says 'hi'." Louis said into the phone as Zayn sighed, pulling the collar of his jacket higher on his neck. "No, mum." Louis said distressed, padding off a bit with distance between him as he mumbled through the phone secretively.

 

Zayn didn't mind. He too should call his mom and tell her he's all settled in the dorm room, that he was kind of already missing her and that she should see the size of the university from the inside. He guessed he should just save it for later that night when his mom were going off to bed, and he'd wish her a good night and tell her about the little things that happened in that first day away from home. He looked down, kicking a pebble and glancing to Louis who was carding his fingers through his hair and watching leaves patter to the ground.

 

Zayn wandered off on his own a bit, getting closer to the parking lot as he hopped up on a block and looked to Louis over by the trees a few feet over. Among the people passing him, and the others just standing around by the fountain off in the distance, groups passed their cars, and yet he looked among them. His eyes paused. A couple stood leaned against the driver's side of a car, the girl laughed throwing her head back with her hands resting on her boyfriend's chest. His arms wrapped around her waist, and kept securely with her against him as leaned his back against the car. He could hear her laughing, her head tipping to the sky as her boyfriend's eyes grazed over her neck, and he playfully nipped at her throat.

 

He shouldn't have stared, but his heart froze in his chest so suddenly.

 

Louis' voice mumbled behind him, closer this time as he continued to stare until the jingle of a laugh was fading in the back of his head and dark eyes met Zayn's. He stared at Zayn from over his girlfriend's shoulder, his hands possessively clutching her closer and his heart seemed to pick up speed again. They'd made eye contact, and there was no awkward backing out now. The guy's stare was deadly, piercing with every means of evil in them. Enough to kill a man's soul, and bury it in one quick swoop. The guy smirked to Zayn, and Zayn couldn't move any limb of his. A deer caught in headlights, he was.

 

Louis pushed Zayn's shoulder, "Alright." He roughly threw his arm around Zayn's shoulder, "Enough of that, let's get some thing to eat, shall we?" He smiled, and Zayn looked to him this time.

Nodding, Louis went on ahead a moment before Zayn turned his eyes back to the couple by their car. They were gone, and nothing but a following wind bustled against his cheeks and he pulled his collar up again before following behind Louis.

 

Walking into the café, it was more than enough to be a mall section. There was a small café where they'd served soups, teas, and small appetizers like cakes and maybe scones from the smell of it. Then there was a long line, people walking out of the salad bar with salads, some vegan styled salads and meats along the way. There were tables of fours, twos, and long tables that held up to a party of sixteen. Tables that sat outside the cafeteria were occupied by laughter and smiling people who ate over the given choices of subs, sandwiches, and pastas. It was more like an 'all-you-can-eat' buffet just without the spicy chicken and tons of dressings to choose from. Zayn settled with their ham sandwich, and bottled water, with a bag of crisps. Paying it off, he met beside Louis again who'd had a handful of things.

 

"They said it was supper time, not grab everything for your last meal." Zayn quipped as they sat down at a round table by the window.

"Ha, ha." He deadpanned, "I don't see you stacking up for the night, looks like a mouse could eat that in one bite."

"The pamphlet said there was breakfast tomorrow at ten o'clock sharp, I won't be up until then. And we have dinner in about two hours-."

"Well, I'm just checking out the food." Louis said popping open his bag of crisps, "So, what do you think Art 101 is going to be like for you?" He crunched down on a crisp.

"I don't know, I haven't had class yet."

"Give a guess. I thought you were the artistic one here." Louis nudged his arm, and smiled. "I bet there'd be hot chicks there." He sighed, "The world can't bless enough guys to have the right dick size."

"Including you?" Zayn joked.

Louis punched him in the shoulder, "Not funny."

Zayn put his hands up in surrender, "Sorry."

They went silent for a bit, enjoying the food and taking in the foreign surroundings. "Do you know anyone in your classes yet? Some one has to have your major in the corridor."

"Yeah, guess we'll find out tomorrow."

"Right. Class tomorrow." Louis rolled his eyes.

"You haven't even been here a day and you're already looking on the down side."

"All there every is is a down side."

"Well, if you'd flip a switch and lighten up some time - you'd see there was a good outcome to this."

"Like what? An empty wallet, and denting bank account?"

"A diploma to one of the best universities in England, how about?"

Louis swatted the idea away, "I'm just trying to get by. After all this, I'll be in the big leagues. Broadway, shows, movies, videos. I'll be worldwide." He smiled widely.

"And if you don't try, you'll never get that diploma." Zayn quirked an eyebrow looking over his shoulder to the moving groups around the cafeteria and café.

"Nah, mate, I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride of life." He smiled, closing his eyes and eating another crisp.

"Excuse us," interjected a voice, "Mind if we sit here?"

The two looked up, and Zayn just scowled in the tiniest of bits. Niall and Harry stood on the opposite side of the table, eyes glancing over each other.

"Hey! It's Zen. How's it going?" Niall sat down with out answer, "How's the rooming?" Harry followed under Louis' stare. "Did you move in alright?"

Zayn glanced between Louis and the two across from them, "Fine." He mumbled, "I've already moved in."

"And your roommate? Are they brainless?" He joked, a laugh tagging along with it.

Louis frowned, "That roommate is me." A tone of playfulness in it.

"Hi, Niall Horan." He extended his hand over the table, "Nice to meet'cha." He smiled.

"Louis Tomlinson." Louis just nodded.

"This here is my closest mate Harry," he knocked his knuckles against Harry's shoulder, "We've managed to switch out some other roommate so we could get the room together, worked out well on both parts." He said, opening his crisps and holding his sandwich in the other. "What major are you in, Tommo?" Niall said, too busy munching on his crisps to care for the stares on him.

Louis cleared his throat, sitting up in his chair. "Dramatic Arts."

Niall's eyebrows raised, "Fancy. How'd you come to realize you wanted to do drama?"

"Secondary and primary school plays. I saw my lighting, and fell in love with it." He connected his hands over the table.

"Really?"

He pursed his lips, nodding. "What about you two?"

Niall raised his finger, gulping his bite. "Science Associate." He mumbled.

Harry shuffled, playing with the foil on his sandwich. "Engineering Associate." He smiled lightly.

Louis nodded, "Cool. Cool." He mumbled, "How long have you known Zayn?"

Zayn opened his mouth to speak, but Niall did before he could.

"Bumped into him just this morning, didn't know where the lines started or ending. Didn't think we'd see him again to be honest. Maybe once or twice, but guess we had luck to seeing you. Glad to see you again though." He smiled widely, and Zayn pressed his lips to a slight smile.

"A day seeing this guy - and you're set for a life of happiness." Louis patted Zayn's back with a long, friendly smile and went back to chugging his water and crisps down.

Niall looked between the two almost inventively, "You've known each other long?"

"For my whole life it seems." Zayn said under his breath, sounding sorrowful.

"Nah, it wasn't that bad." Louis laughed, "He's a kidder."

Niall smiled, "Are you two just mates or-?" He implied.

Zayn and Louis looked at each other then back to the others, "No, no. We're just mates, I wouldn't score one over this one." Louis said, pointing to Zayn. "I'm more of the wild and dangerous, and Zayn is none of the above." He smirked, "Likes to hide away in the cracks of the library of his." He laughed.

"Let's see where you end up when you're failing." Zayn taunt.

"Come on, what could a little party do?" Louis quirked an eyebrow again and laughed when Zayn swatted at him.

"It's none of my business, but - he's a bit right on that one." Niall pointing his water bottle at Zayn.

Zayn rolled his eyes and smiled, "Alright. Whatever. I'm just not going to blow off first semester," he crumpled up his wrapper, "unlike you. I at least want to accomplish some thing for once that I didn't earn for smiling and pretending I know it." He shrugged.

"Well, you have." Harry said, leaning his elbows on the table. The three looked at him like he was crazy. "In this moment, this is the longest you've ever lived in this lifetime."

Louis snickered, "Loved the inspiration. Thanks Gandhi." He commented.

Harry's gazed turned to him. "What have you accomplished, other than being the longest to live?" He raised his eyebrows.

Louis turned instantly hot in the moment, all focus on him. He looked to Zayn for help but found none, he stuttered. "Well, I - uh, I've accomplished some thing."

Harry smirked at Louis, biting on his straw before slurping his drink and glancing down at the table then back up at the flustered Louis.

 

Niall laughed, shaking his head and they'd fell back into comfortable silence taking in the room around them. It wasn't long before they'd all finished their food and had a little talk on why'd they'd picked their majors for the while being, before the sun had set and they'd come back in an hour for dinner. It seemed useless to leave the building but they did anyways, and found out they'd been in the same dorm building but instead Niall and Harry bunked on twelfth floor. On separating, Louis had been a sly dog and slipped Harry his number and Harry walked off with a smirking glance back to the cheeky one. Getting back to the room and passing a few people, they'd relaxed into their rooms and decided to take one of the late shifts of dinner.

 

After dinner, Zayn had been laying on his bed scrolling through his laptop and lazily listening to music. Louis came out of the bathroom freshly showered, "The shower's amazing." He coo'ed, a towel around his waist with his hair still drenched.

Zayn popped out an ear bud, "Enjoy yourself in there?" He smiled.

"I could've slept in that shower." Louis said over his shoulder, fishing out his boxers from the drawers. "The water pressure is just right." He smiled, dropping his towel openly and slipping on his boxers. "Have you started the kettle?" He asked looking to the steam already pouring out of the spout.

"Yeah, it's about done." Zayn mumbled, frowning at the screen.

"What? You have that constipated thinking face on."

Zayn rolled his eyes, "It's nothing," he sighed, "There's that murder thing again."

"Oh," Louis peeped, "The twisted one from Saturday?"

He nodded.

"I've read up on it, the police said that they couldn't find any sort of evidence into what had happened. They ID'ed the woman, she was a complete stranger to society. Who knows what happened." He gripped his cup, in which Zayn found entirely useless when he laughed at Louis for practically bringing Doncaster to London.

"Rabid animal?"

Louis stared at him with a dead 'come on, think' look. "A rabid animal? Really? Do rabid animals come into the city, and attack people's necks that vicious? Plus, wouldn't they have caught some sort of trace, a patch of fur around some where." He said, reaching for the handle of his already blowing kettle and pouring himself a cup. "I say -," he unplugged the heater, "it's the new Jack Ripper of the century."

"You're insane." Zayn shook his head, staring at his laptop as he messaged back a few family friends who wished him luck in his university years.

"No, I'm sensible." Louis tipped his cup towards Zayn, he stepped beside his bedside and held out the cup.

Zayn stared at it before taking it gingerly, "Thanks."

Louis walked back and made his own cup, "Besides, sooner or later the police will get them and problem solved."

"It's happening more and more now. Who's to stay who it is? Could be anyone?"

"Scary, isn't it?" Louis sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Not knowing who could be the murderer, not knowing who to trust." He ghosted, "It's almost like having to live your life, completely unaware of another's existence but in a chance of luck you pass by some one on the street or hold the door open for some one - how simple it would change your entire life if you met that person, or just kept walking along in coexistence." His eyes were wide, thinking, and confused.

Zayn watched him, breaking the silence with a laugh. "You really need to stop watching sci-fy movies and horror movies."

Louis smiled, "I'm serious! It's kind of scary, isn't it?" He put his cup of tea on the bedside table, "You never know who it could be," he tucked himself under the covers, his back against the head board. "I could be the murderer."

Zayn scoffed, "You couldn't hurt a fly."

"Could too. I'm Mr. Miyagi," he flattened his hands, holding them up in a karate chop, "Be like water." He joked.

"That's Bruce Lee."

"Whatever." Louis grumbled, sipping at his tea and soon after it was finished he turned of his light and went to sleep.

 

Zayn was left to man the remaining light on. He turned off this laptop, and put it to the side as he walked into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He'd take a shower in the morning, and put together any remaining things he'd forgot to pack for class. He didn't know what he needed. He had his laptop, and his phone, along with his chargers for those. The original handy dandy notebook, and tons of pens, highlighter - normal school supplies. A few artist's things, like a kneading eraser, and shading stencil, a small stick of charcoal, even a small bit of sandpaper to edge off the tools. He had everything he could seem to need. He'd figure out in the morning when he had time, he guessed.

 

Turning off the bathroom light, and padding across the room, his feet hit colder floor and he looked to the window. His curtains swayed lightly. He checked if it was open, and sure enough it was but a draft came through the window cracks very lightly. He would report it to the main desk if it became a higher problem, or it the window was unsafe for the two. Sitting down and stripping off his shirt and pants, for once he sat down correctly in the covers and turned off the lights.

 

 _Tomorrow would be a new day_ , he thought to himself, _a new day of possibility_. He closed his eyes. _A new day to add to the list of things accomplished_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. I will update as soon as possible later in this day, the next chapters are fillers, long, but good - in my opinion - so I hope you'll like them. Good night for me, and have an amazing morning/ day/ night, when ever you get to read this or when ever. You're loved, remember that. :) -Ayh


	4. Chapter 4

"Come on, Liam, it's late already." She whined playfully, "We have our first class tomorrow."

Liam smiled, "I know, I know. I just want to spend the rest of my night with you," he entwined their hands, "After all," he pulled her close, their breath visible in the cold autumn night. "I'm completely lost for you, and I can't sleep easily some times." He said, lowly pecking her warm lips.

She smiled, "You're falling too hard."

"For something so important." He add.

She laughed, turning her head to the side. "You're too crazy."

"For you, Alicia. Only you." He said, pressing his forehead against her cheek, kissing her jawline. His lips attached to her skin tenderly, but then viciously and almost seemed to tickle.

"Stop," She laughed, her head falling back again as his kisses danced over her skin and into her pulse. "We're going to wake up so tired." She commented, closing her eyes and basking in the attention Liam gave her as she looped her arms around his neck.

His kisses became frantic, venomous, and harsh as he drew blood to the surface.

She hummed, her hands carding through his hair. "I think we should get back, Liam." She said, straightening out but he didn't pull back. "Li, come on."

She pushed but he became stiff, his hands stronger around her waist.

"Liam, come on. Stop." Her hands pushing at his shoulders. "Liam!" She muttered, and a growl emitted from below her ear.

 

His teeth sunk into the flesh of her neck forceful enough to draw blood, she screamed out in pain in terror in trying to shove him away. The struggle became more violent as she scratched at his exposed skin, and tried prying his vice gripping hands from on her waist. His arms wrapped around her tighter as he pushed to her head to the side, giving access to more of her neck. He released her neck, only to dig his teeth into her skin again and harder this time. Blood gushing down his chin and her collar bone, her struggle fading along with her consciousness and being. He drunk back gulps and breaths of blood, pouring down his throat like it was nothing but thick water.

 

When her hand dropped lifeless from his shoulder, her head hung, he released himself back and gasped for breath. Licking and tasting every last drop of blood on his lips, and in his mouth. Shamelessly, he dropped her lifeless body and stared down at her for a moment before collecting himself and wiping the corner of his mouth only to lick those last bits and looked around. No one was around, and the sun wouldn't rise for hours in this last hour. He cleared his throat, throwing his hood on, and began walking away from the body like he wasn't hung up on it for the first day of University. He honestly wasn't, he had the image of a f*ck boy, a player, and he planned on keeping that way.

 

The more dangerous he seemed, the more irresistible he became to everyone. Females, Males, every thing in between, and every thing around it.

 

He just needed to keep his composure as a 'human being', and then just maybe - he'd have his way with every thing and anything.


	5. Chapter 5

There was a ranging of five chairs per one long bench in the class room. They formed a semi circle around the front of the room, the teachers desk nothing but a long desk with a name tag on it. The student's desks looked down at the teacher's desk, inclining steps to the door, and with every step was a siding long desk, three to every step down.

 

It was half full on entering the classroom, some people spoke while others greeted the teacher and then took their seats. The first row consisted of people who wanted to be up and personal, on perfect eye level with the teacher and his desk. There were few who took the chance and advantage, others strayed closest to the door at the top steps away from the teacher's desk but still noticeable. Entirely noticeable. Zayn walked down one step before being stepped in front of by the teacher, he had a wide smile on, his eyes even smiling, as he extended a hand to Zayn on a friendly level.

 

"Good morning," the teacher said, "I'm Mr. Jarvis. Welcome to class, so glad you could be a part of it." He smiled wider.

Zayn shook his hand firmly, "Good morning." He mumbled.

"What? Didn't have your morning tea?" He joked, "Cheer up." He patted Zayn's arm, "You're in your chosen university, you got accepted, you've got your major. What's there to seem down about?"

Zayn scratched his head, "I didn't know what to bring today. So I brought everything."

Mr. Jarvis laughed, "We'll go over it in a bit when every one's settled in." Some one passed and he stopped them shaking their hand, "Hey, good morning. How are you? I'm Mr. Jarvis, welcome." He mumbled, still standing in Zayn's way. He turned back to Zayn, giving his attention, "We'll go over the criteria in what you'll be needing in here, and hopefully you'll feel right in pace with it. Just ask if I'm going too fast, or you're confused on a bit, I'll explain it after." He nodded giving Zayn another smile. "Get seated, get comfortable." He patted his shoulder again, and stepped out of his way this time allowing Zayn by.

Zayn walked along absently before he found himself standing in front of an occupied desk, two people sitting at the end with a space of a seat between them for another person to sit a seat in. He cleared his throat, "Do you mind if I sit here?" He asked enough to be able to heard.

The person looked up at him, wide, doe eyes looking back at him. Her hair pulled in a French braid, accompanied by a pastel colored outfit. She popped out an ear bud, her cherry lips speaking. "Do you want to sit here?"

He nodded.

She shuffled her chair to the side, taking her empty folders from the invading area of the corner chair. "I'm sorry, I'm a bit messy this morning." She smiled nervously.

"It's alright." He mumbled, setting his bag down in the aisle beside the desk and sat down.

She shook her head, stacking her folders in one pile. "I didn't know what to bring today, so," she unzipped her backpack stuffing them in there, "I brought everything." Her laugh shaking.

Zayn scoffed, "Me too." He leaned in momentarily, "If that makes you feel any less nervous."

She looked up at Zayn, and a smile slowly pressed her skin. "I guess it does." She held out her hand politely, "I'm Eleanor."

He shook it, "Zayn."

Eleanor smiled wider, "I'm at least glad I'm not the only one who took everything with me this morning, that makes me a lot less," she gestured her hands out straight, "shaky." She laughed airily again.

He smiled, "I think just about every one in here is a bit nervous, they just wont own up to it and say it a loud."

She laughed, "I think you're just about right about that." She looked over her shoulder to the entering students and Mr. Jarvis greeting them, others talking quietly, and some in their own head space with their ear buds in their ears. Her eyes found Zayn's side profile, looking over his cheek bones, and long eyelashes, before resting on his lightly chapped lips from the cold. Even the room was a bit colder but Mr. Jarvis assured that it was just warming up because he turned on the heating when he came in an hour earlier. "So," she started and Zayn looked to her, "What do you plan out of this whole thing?" She waved her hands to the teacher's desk.

Zayn shrugged, "I want to maybe become a tattooist, always had the idea as a kid."

Her eyes lit up like any one he'd told, "Tattoo artist? That's amazing. Do you already draw stencils and sketches of some tattoos you'd do?"

He nodded.

"Guess you have stacks of books waiting to be written in?" She joked, "What made you think 'tattooing' as a kid?"

Zayn shrugged again, "A couple of my family friends drew little things here and there, and then when I was just about, maybe, nine or ten my mom's friend became a tattoo artist. She became known throughout the entire town, and every one loved her. She lived off of it, and some times my mom would let me go there just to watch them make the tattoos, and I'd trace them over the glass in the stands."

"That sounds fun." She smiled.

"And you?"

She shrugged, throwing her braid over her other shoulder. "When I was a kid, I was thinking maybe I could be a dancer, or hair stylist, but I just stuck to the thought of becoming a illustrator for children's books. I always made my nephews and nieces little story books, and it sort of stuck with me since primary school."

He nodded. "That's nice. The books for your family."

She smiled, "Thank you. It's a little fun to get away from the adult world, and so some thing as creative as children books. It's silly, but - it's a lot easier to teach kids then change an adults mind when they've already been taught the ways to do it. If some one's mind is set, why change it? You know?"

 

He shook his head 'yes', pulling his attention to Mr. Jarvis, who circled around his desk and logged into his computer. The class dimmed a bit before continuing again. Zayn looked around the room then. The class was final, and every one had sat in the nine rows of ten with every seat occupied. The back row completely empty and neat, no desk out of place, while the front hoarded with people talking lightly. Rounding up the desks, he estimated a good one hundred thirty five people in the classroom. Eleanor beside him wrapped up her head phones and stuffed it into her backpack, pulling her long sleeves to her fists, and sitting forward in her chair as she waited for the class to start along with the others in the room.

 

Mr. Jarvis turned on the projector, and it slowly faded on to a screen with the bold fond screening 'Mr. Jarivs' Associate of Art Majoring Criteria'. Mr. Jarvis cleared his throat before speaking, "Excuse me, may I have your attention please?"

The class quieted down after a small while.

Mr. Jarvis nodded, "Thank you." He said, his voice echoing up the stairs and around the room. "I am Mr. Jarvis, as I greeted most of you earlier with. This is course Drawing 1, as well as Watercolor 1, and Painting 1. In here you will learn the basics, as you all signed up for classes before entering the school year and hopefully have not changed your mind on it. That would be shit."

The class murmured small laughs.

"Now, I'm all up for fun and games, believe me, I love laying back and watching Netflix like most of you all - but I have work to do, and so do you. So, instead of sitting in your dorm rooms, lounging around in the halls, or sitting out by the lawn collecting fairies-," the class laughed again, "you'll be working in and out of this class room as of today." He walked along the front row, greeting everyone's stare there. "I can assure you all that I will be giving out a good amount of work to keep you on your feet at all times. The boss says he wants the kids to interact, as you all know - you are not kids anymore. You're grown adults who are capable of making your own food, making your bed, in some sort of degree how to pay rent of your homes and flats, or meet insurance every month for your cars out in the lot. You can balance a job, and write a check, open bank accounts, and well aware of each genders anatomy."

The class laughed.

"I have strict rules," he bellowed, his jaw set and shoulders sharp. "And then I have butterfly, rainbow rules." He smiled, his shoulders relaxed again. "I demand them, you do them, we all have a dandy time here. I promise." He patted the corner of a desk, and moved back to his desk. "Now I will read off of the sheet in which all of you signed up for this class, one by one raise your hand, call out what ever you like. _Here_ , _Present_ , whatever. No profanity please, homophobic slur is not allowed, along with racist, fascist, sexist, or sexual orientated backlash." He said clearly looking down at the list, "If you'd rather be called something else, have a nickname you'd like to be called, not _DeeFreeze_ , or _JDog_."

The class laughed again.

"If I get a pronoun wrong, correct me. If I assume you're all straight, and you're not, speak to me personally. I will set myself on that, and make sure to not offend anyone." He furrowed his brow at the list, counting off the number slowly. "Alright then." He looked up, "Let's get started. James Alfer?"

"Here."

He checked off the name, "Anastashia Beckman."

"Here, and it's Anna."

He nodded, "Noted." Writing it down, and checking her off. "Eleanor Calder?"

Eleanor raised her hand, "Present."

Mr. Jarvis smiled, "Thank you, Ms. Calder." He checked off, "Alicia Houston?" He looked around the room, "Alicia Houston?"

Zayn looked around the room behind him to see no one raising their hand or answering.

"Probably slept in, or changed her mind." Mr. Jarvis mumbled moving on through the list.

 

.  .  .  .  .

 

After he'd finished the list of names, a small amount of people missing from the list, but all stood fine. Mr. Jarvis tapped on his laptop a moment more, the screen on freeze, before he stood again and clicked on his remote and the screen turned to a slide show. "Could you all please look here?" He called and every one silenced. "I will be showing you the curriculum and criteria of this semester, a long with a list of things you will need. I will give a few tips on studying, and working a schedule together on moving between classes, and dorm, and some of you, jobs." He clasped his hands together, starting to pace before the class. "I will set a list of rules before you, demerits and merits achievements. For those who have laptops, I will log you into the class internet and give you the website to the class room chat sight used for class work only among students only in this class." He looked around, "You can't message your friend down the hall," he tapped his fingers in the air like a keyboard, "Hey, Tiffany," the class laughed, "do you want to go out for coffee later? You know."

The class murmured again.

"This teacher sucks and he smells like prunes." He continued and the class laughed again, a little louder and longer this time. He dropped his hands, "You don't know how many times people have tried that, I just end up laughing at them in the middle of class and feeling bad as they walk out." The class laughed, "I'm all about waiting until the end of class, and then laughing when you all leave. Like," he pointed at some one, "that girl's hair was messed up on the side, her friend shaved the side of her head on her first day." He joked, and the class chattered again. "Or, you know, that guy has tooth paste on his shirt. I'm not going to tell him, I'm just going to laugh every time I look at him." He chuckled, before quickly catching himself and pulling a straight face.

The class seeing, and they laughed. He laughed and shook his head, before clearing his throat and gaining posture again.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, clearing his throat. "Alright, so. Let's go through the criteria needed and on with it." He turned to the projector, pressing his remote as he flipped slides. The title reading 'Criteria for the first semester'. He read without having to look at the board, " _'Students will develop a new way of designing things such as: logos, advertisement, art pieces, self portraits, excreta. They will not use old techniques for the second half of the first semester'_." He pointed around, "Those stencils you use to get perfect circles, rulers to make perfect squares, and measurements." He waved his finger, "We're throwing them out, or burning them. Which ever suits your fancy."

"Yeah!" Some one muttered in the back, and made the class laugh.

Mr. Jarvis smiled but then became serious enough again. "We have a school store in the same building as the gymnasium, auditorium, and café. You all know where that is?" He received grumbles and mumbled 'yes's in response. "Alright, good. It's in that building, some one will point you in the way if you get lost. They sell each needed item of every single major on this campus ground, at a fairly low price so you can get some good deals." He scratched his head, "I went down there just yesterday for some notebooks, they're having a sale. Get four, get two for half a pound." He nodded, "Pretty good deal if you ask me." He listed off things, "They have notebooks, artist's journals, pencil's, illustrator's kit with all shades and strengths of pencils. All that stuff, I'll get you a list in a moment." He waved it off, and the slide turned to another page. "Now, we have some rules to discuss. As said before, there will be no sexist, racist, homophobic - as well as transphobic -  fascist, or horrible profanity. I would understand if most of you have a sailor's tongue, and if you drop your pencil for the thousandth time, and you're have a bad day - maybe you're cat got ran over at home, or you spilt tea on your trousers' this morning, and you were late, and this old man gave you a reprimanding about it," he put his hands up, "I understand. But slurs or back lashes will not be acceptable against people. You can't go around calling people b*tches, or call that girl you think dresses too revealing a wh*re or prostitute. That's unacceptable and will be reported to the front office, and security. That will be a dent in your record, remember that."

The class remained silent.

"Tardiness." He clapped, "Who here hates waking up early?" A few people raised their hands, "Oh, come on! I know all of you hate waking up at any time before noon, you liars." Others started raising their hands, "Alright then. That's more like it. How many of you use your phone as clocks instead of the olden day alarms? The one's with the bells, any one knows what I'm talking about?" They raised their hands, "Okay, so, let's say you - were studying late at night, cramping for that test in the morning." He raised his finger, "In which most people do, and get the lowest an eighty three on their tests." He swayed, "And you knock out, black out all over your books and papers. Drowning in drool, papers sticking to your face," the class laughed, "all the ugly. And you forgot to put your phone on the charger. It dies. You wake up late, your friend shaking you. You run to class a good thirty minutes late." He raised his hands, "I will give you three uncalled for, and safety, tardy times. This means, if you are late for the first time, I'll say 'welcome to class, sit down'. And we're all good, we're fine. If you're late a second time, we're good. Late a third time, fine. But late a fourth time, you will have to stay after and make up the time you missed from those days, along with an extra assignment. Like I said, I'm easy going but I'm all about work. Any questions on those subjects?"

No one answered.

"Alright, moving on. Supplies." The slide changed. "I understand some of you have lugged your entire life savings in for today, - you don't need all of those manila folders shoved in your five binders, your laptop cord hanging out, you know, canister of soup for the middle of class when you get hungry." The class laughed, "You don't need all that stuff." He waved it off, gesturing to the board. "You will need - a couple of pencils, three notebooks - I'd prefer you get the ones with the spine on them, easier to rip things out and burn them so no one can find evidence." He joked, "One will be fore notes in class, another will be for you to list the assignments, and tests you are given, along with your schedule for the day. Meaning, say you got a project, and the dead line is two weeks. Write that down, and if you're going to work a certain amount one night, write it down. _Thursday, October 20th. Class project; two hours_. Some thing like that. The other one will be for illustrations, drawings, what ever, which ever. I prefer you get a artist's book from the store, one about this big," he gestured a ten by thirteen inch book. "I call it the Jumbo medium, ask the cashier there - she'll know you came from Wack Job Jarvis' class." The class laughed, and he turned to the side of his desk. "Any questions about that?" 

There was silence. Zayn raised his hand slowly.

Mr. Jarvis pointed at him, "Yeah?"

"Do we need anything like kneading erasers, shading tools, shade pencils?"

Mr. Jarvis' smile only grew with every listing item, "A fast one, aren't you? Always ready for the game? I like it." He clapped his hands together, pointing to Zayn. "He said 'do we need any kneading eraser, shading tools, shade pencils'? No. In this curriculum, we work on the items we have. Turning every day items, like a pencil or pen, into an art piece. We can't control how much a pen blotches on our paper but yet we make some thing of it." He looked back to Zayn, "If you feel better experienced or comfortable with using those, then use them. But we, as a class, won't be using them for those who don't have it at hand already." He smiled to Zayn and turned back to the class. "Is any experience in drawing as well?"

A select group raised their hands, Eleanor and Zayn included.

"When did you guys start? Yeah." He pointed to a guy who'd raised his hand, "When did you start drawing?"

"Uh, about seven years ago?"

"How old were you?"

"Twelve."

"Good, good. And you? Ms. Calder?" He looked to Eleanor.

She smiled lightly, "I started at nine years old, eleven years ago."

Mr. Jarvis nodded, then his eyes turned to Zayn almost slowly. "And you?"

Zayn's eyes glanced around the room to the staring eyes like statues, then back to Mr. Jarvis who waited patiently. Two steps down from him, but still managed to tower over him. "All my life."

Mr. Jarvis smiled widely, "You've wanted to be an artist all your life? Even as a little one?"

He nodded.

"Good." He nodded slowly, "I like it." He pointed to Zayn, waving his finger at him. "You see, not many people have followed their dreams that they'd wanted to be as children. As they grow up, they don't want to be a firefighter, or technician. Usually around age ten, or eleven, they think 'oh, I want to be a culinary artist, or - I want to be a aircraft technician. Or maybe even a carpenter'. The mind changes, as well as the person's life. One simple act, could charge entire domino effect. Could set off millions, and trillions of neurotransmitters in their head just to make one action possible. That's why one artist to another, shading could be useless to one, and helpful and desired by another. In this field, you learn the difference between 'the tiny erase mark that doesn't matter' to 'the tiny pencil mark that ruined the entire picture'." He nodded looking among the interested bunch, "That's what art is like in a pinch. There's much to learn." He flipped the slide, "Moving on."

 

The class door opened and every one seemed to look over their shoulder to the standing figure in the door way. It slunk slowly, feet demanding to be heard from yards away. The leather creaking on their shoulders as their hands stood defenseless by their side, no back pack to call a student or name a brand. A black shirt under the leather jacket to accompany black jeans, and black combat boots. A style that scream dangerous, with a face that entirely blasted speakers and blew windows siren-ing death. His jawline was clean, and sharp, beard just in the shade of scratchy but cared for. His dorm keys in hand and gum in his mouth, he stood at the top of the stairs loving the attention he'd created and was given by the class room.

 

Mr. Jarvis stared, "Well, welcome to class." He cleared his throat, "We missed you." He joked, "I'm Mr. Jarvis, and you are-?" He looked down at the list, "Mr. Payne or Mr. Denning?" He looked back up.

The stranger chewed his gum, eyes looking among the crowd. "Payne." He said, his voice rugged like his looks.

"Mr. Payne, it's a pleasure having you here." He offered a smile, "Please, have a seat."

When Liam had slouched into one of the back seats, leaning back as much as he could as he balanced on the back legs of the chair and stared down the aisles and to Mr. Jarvis who spoke.

"We were just going over criteria, and supplies needed in class. Notebooks, pencils, all that stuff. As well as rules, including no profanities of any sort, and no slurs - meaning homophobic, transphobic, sexist, fascist, or racist comments are not allowed. And tardiness," he smiled, "you, my friend, are a bit late. And I allow three uncalled for tardy's, after that, you will be serving time with me after class. Understand?"

Liam stood quiet, chewing his gum and swaying on the balance of the chair.

"I'll take that as a 'yes', and please don't do that." Mr. Jarvis said to the chair balancing, "I want every one here to be safe, and not have any head injuries, leg, arm, or groin injuries." The class mumbled a chuckle, "Thank you." He said when Liam laid the chair down on all four legs, and went back to pacing back and forth in front of the class.

 

Zayn slowly turned his head, to look to Liam in the back of the class. He was seated at the top of the steps, closest to the door, and stairs. Complete range of seeing every one before him, and quickest way to leaving the class. Zayn turned subtly, slowly so that Liam would still be focused on Mr. Jarvis - but it didn't work. Liam looked down in Zayn's exact direction, staring to Zayn's glance and watched as he turned away to the front of the room to Mr. Jarvis. His eyes stood trained on the back of Zayn's head now, focused on the pulse in his neck, watching almost over his shoulder to his hands and arms on the desk, how he glanced to Mr. Jarvis and the girl beside him glancing over to him some times.

 

Liam smirked, his feet kicking back on balancing on the back two legs of the chair and chewed his gum as the teacher spoke. His eyes never leaving Zayn's spine, even when Mr. Jarvis called for attention and gave them time to talk among themselves at the ending second hour of class. Zayn turned to Eleanor, and she smiled. "I think this class is going to be alright." Eleanor said, curling a loose piece of the braided hair behind her ear. "I think Mr. Jarvis is pretty cool."

Zayn nodded, "Yeah."

"I'm totally not going to survive class presentations if we do them," she scoffed, "I'm a bit shy."

"You'll get through it."

Eleanor smiled, "You think so?"

He nodded, and her smile grew.

"Thanks for thinking that about me."

"No problem." He said back, before both looked around the room absently.

"I wonder how many students are here." Eleanor mumbled, more to herself than to anyone.

"A hundred? More?" Zayn shrugged.

"Who knows." She laughed, "Hey, are you going to head to the school store today?"

He shook his head. "I've already got my stuff."

"Oh. I was going to stay that, we should go together so we don't seem lost." Eleanor nervously laughed, "It couldn't be too hard, he said the building with the café."

"Yeah."

"I'll head over there after supper tonight, get some artist book for the road."

He smiled. "Maybe I'll check around some time, see if they have sales for the books. Check out the library as well."

"If I see any sales, I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Thanks." Zayn smiled, and absently picked at his headphones coiled around his phone in his pocket. He sat up, his back cracking as he did and he took it as a moment to get up, stretch his legs, and approach Mr. Jarvis' desk.

Mr. Jarvis looked up when he approached, a smile quickly to his lips. "Yes?"

"Uh," he started, "About the techniques in the second half of the semester," Mr. Jarvis pulled his hands away from his laptop, giving his attention to Zayn entirely now. "What exactly - what things will we learn in them?"

"Do you have a strict way of doing things? Like," he leaned on his elbows, "What do you draw? Landscapes? People?"

"All."

Mr. Jarvis nodded, "So, let's say, for a portrait of a person, do you do better in a timed slot or just - drawing without no limit until it's done? How are you on pressure of time length?"

"Fine."

"And I'm guessing you know about patterns. Cross hatching, shading?" Zayn nodded, "You'll be just fine, if you find that you want to maybe use tiny bits of your technique and others, putting them together, I won't mind."

Zayn nodded, "And about the projects?"

"In this first semester, if you stay in Drawing 1, this class, there will be approximately around four major projects. The first I will explain towards the end of class, it's an individual assignment to see where everyone is in their drawing capabilities and it's fairly easy if you know all that they taught you, or you taught yourself, in secondary school."

He nodded again.

"Did you teach yourself? You seem like a man of knowledge."

"I taught myself some what most of it. Had some help from professional artists."

"Like who?"

"Uh, do you know the tattoo shop called Talcy's?"

His eyes went wide, "They taught you?"

"Talcy is, uh, an old friend of my mother's. They went to primary and secondary school together."

"Really?"

Zayn nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"That's pretty cool, if you asked me." He smiled, "Well, I'm glad to have you in this class with us. Maybe you'll learn some thing new as well as we'll learn some thing new about you." He nodded, before standing, "Excuse me," he said pushing his chair in and stepped around Zayn, as he took it as his time to sit back down.

 

Walking up the stairs, his eyes wandered up further than they needed and they instantly froze on ice. Liam stared directly back at Zayn, straight into his pupils, and soul, he felt. His heart pounded against his chest, as he ripped his eyes away and sat down. Zayn kept his gaze forward as Mr. Jarvis started up the class again, and began speaking about the partner project. He could feel tension spread through his neck, straining himself to turn around to see if Liam had looked away. Slowly, he turned his head to look behind him and his heart caught in his throat again. Liam never had looked away. His dead, cold eyes stared Zayn down. His mouth popping the gum in his mouth, balanced back on his chair again, and his eyes never left Zayn's figure.

 

He smirked, seeing Zayn's uncomforting feeling. Tension stood in his bones, and in his neck. His pulse ran through his neck, beating loud as Liam could hear it about the speaking and laughing of a joke. Zayn's beautiful eyes shook in Liam's gaze, his jaw set to clench against his other set, and his breath stagnant and scattered. His shoulders held taunt, and his eyes turned when they failed to meet Liam's sharp stare. He was threatened by a look, gave submission to Liam's unknown authority and broke his stare first. Liam's smirk only grew as class went on, and the hammer jack of a heart never failed to quiet; it excite him.


	6. Chapter 6

Zayn let his pencil finish off one more strand of hair before he pulled back his hands, and stared down at the drawing. The project was to draw something, some one, any thing. At his very best, he'd started an outline of Louis. Louis was there, so he gave it a go. But after Louis had fidgeted in his chair so much, and complaining about his back being held too straight when Zayn had told him he could do a natural pose like slouch or leaning back in a chair - Louis gave it his all, and left to catch the earlier shifts of supper.

 

Zayn leaned back, stretching his back and arms behind him getting a good stretch as pulling his ear buds from his ears. Rubbing at his eyes, he turned off the table lamp and moved towards his bed. His jacket hung over it, his shoes knocked to the side, Louis' socks every where on the floor even though it's only been two days. Call him a strange, but Zayn thought it was a way like a dog peeing on things, Louis putting his nasty socks on things. Throwing on his jacket, and shuffling on his boots, he headed out of the room grabbing his keys along the way.

 

Zayn wouldn't blame Louis for wanting to get out of the dorm, it was cloudy in there and anything beat out the slight draft coming in through the windows - though he complained to the front desk about it, and they said 'they'd do something about it as soon as possibly', he doubted it already -, and the fact that there was just them in there. People passed by, giving friendly nods and smiles to Zayn and he returned with nods, down the stairs he went, and pushed the cold door open to the front steps. His breath visible in the air, he tugged his jacket even closer to him. His hands shoved into his pockets.

 

He would most definitely complain to the front desk again, if there's more than a draft in the air when he gets back to his room.

 

Pulling the door open to the 'Gathering Hall', he heard some people call it, and warmth poured out with a smell of chowder soup and tea. Shaking the cold off, he stepped into the cafeteria hallway and the massive double doors were open before him. He looked along the crowd. People talked and laughed, people he didn't know holding trays, and other emptying their trays to return them on top of the trash bins like in fast food places. Unfamiliar faces past, unknown voices, and names being called as he made his way through the line with his phone in hand. He dialed down Louis' number, but seeing a familiar face - he paused before pocketing his phone. He took a breath.

 

"Harry."

He turned, wide green eyes looking back at him. His face softened, "Zayn. Hi, how are you doing?" He asked, holding a tray in hand. An empty bowl waiting to be filled on it and water.

"Good, and you?" He mumbled, grabbing a tray and a bowl as well.

"Good. How was your first day of - _thank you_ \- class?" He said to the person before him with soup ladle and handed it back to him, he scooped chowder soup into his bowl.

"It was alright, already have a project to do." He watched Harry, scoop another spoonful and fill Zayn's bowl. "Thanks."

"No problem." Harry walked along, collecting up an apple and banana onto his tray. "What's it about? The project."

"I have to draw some thing, anything, and it's due - the rough draft, I mean, - next Monday."

Harry nodded, "Interesting. What'd you think of drawing?"

Zayn scoffed, "I was drawing my mate Louis, you know, before he ditched out and came here to eat."

"Louis?" He said airy, "I haven't seen him around."

"He's the type to be in the middle of a crowd. You wouldn't find him for miles."

Harry nodded, handing the woman at the register his total amount, "I've got one of my own, I know where people like Louis go." He mumbled a _thank you_ to the woman, and walked along as Zayn followed.

They swirled through crowds, dodging people's feet, and shimming around groups of people who never seemed to break apart no matter what force tried coming between them.

Harry glanced back to Zayn, nodding his head forward. "This way," he said, dipping around a corner and into the middle of the room. The very heart of the room - a massive collective swab of tables.

Over anything, Zayn could hear the laugh of church bells some where in front of them. It became clear when Harry stopped that the table in front of them hoarded with people, was the exact table that held Louis and Niall. When Harry sat down, Louis' eyes met Zayn's and he threw his arms out. "Zayn!" He yelled, "There you are, you lazy wanker!" He laughed, Zayn making his way around the table to sit next to him.

"Me? Lazy? Last time I checked, my socks weren't all over the floor-."

Louis locked Zayn's neck in a head lock, giving his head a good knuckle rubbing.

Zayn laughed, pushing at Louis' arms. "Stop it."

"I thought you'd never come down here." Louis let go, watching Zayn comb his fingers through his own hair. "You've been at your little desk all day, drawing me-."

"Drawing _that_ thing?" Niall said, Zayn looking up to see him wedged between two guys. "He never stays still here for one moment, what makes you think he'll stay still for you to draw him?" He laughed.

Louis glared at him, but it returned soft when he caught Harry smiling.

"What're you drawing him for, anyways?"

"Project, class assignment." Zayn mumbled, blowing at his soup.

"Already? I'm glad I didn't pick Art." Niall scoffed, "We're still going over rules and assessment, don't they know we learned how to be responsible in secondary?" He rolled his eyes.

"Obviously you didn't. You're still over here, burning things with that lighter you have." Harry commented, "Who even gave you that?"

"Me uncle." Niall snared, but it meant no harm. "And look at you here, what responsibility did you take up?"

"I could name them all, but you'd be lost."

Niall propped up a fist, but Harry only laughed. He waved him off, "Forget you." He said, looking to Zayn. He nodded towards him, "What's it like? Taking art classes?"

Zayn shrugged, "It's fine, just sitting in a class for something you're interested in. Like any other."

"Are there any babes?" Niall smirked.

"Already tried that. He wouldn't spill." Louis said, leaning back with a laugh. "If anything, there's a good looking mate in that class." He pointed.

"Mate? You're gay?" Harry furrowed his brow.

"Bisexual. Actually." Zayn peeped.

" _Actually_ ," Louis leaned back to the table, "he's had one girlfriend, and only one boyfriend in existence as of today."

Zayn rolled his eyes, "And why are you saying this a loud?" He sounded annoyed.

"It's alright, mate." Harry called out, "I've got a girlfriend and boyfriend in my life once. Bi, myself."

"I second that." Niall called out, mouth stuffed into his bowl as he drank up the remaining bits.

"Say, you've had a girlfriend and boyfriend once - how about now? You free tonight?"

Harry stood with his empty bowl, "And if I was, you were implying I'd date you?" He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm sorry, I don't do stuck ups."

"Neither do I, I look at myself as a sort of - top man." Louis joked.

Harry smirked, nodding and walked off to empty his tray.

Zayn rolled his eyes when Louis met his eyes.

"What? I can't be a little interactive? What fun is being a bump on a log, Zayn?" He nudged shoulders, "Live a little, mate."

Niall tapped his arm, "Listen to Lou here, it's your first year here. Wouldn't hurt to live a little and get caught once or twice with your pants down, eh?" He laughed, and Louis followed suit. Reaching over Zayn to shake hands and sit back in their seats to finish their food. Niall nudged someone else beside him, "Hey, where ya' heading out after this?"

"Back to the dorms. I've got a little thing to finish up, then I'm free." They said.

Niall looked over seeing Zayn watch, "Zen, this is my friend Josh. Josh - this is Zayn."

Josh reached over, "Never trust an Irish, huh? He drag you around too?"

Zayn shook his hand with a laugh, "You're telling me." He smiled.

"Hey." Niall muttered.

"You're majoring Art?" He pressed his lips together, "Tell you what, you make good art and I make good music. I'll let you make my album covers for advertising." He smiled.

"He does drawing, not Publication Design." Niall waved away. "Do you?" He said wide eyed, "Do they even have those classes here?"

"I take drawing, paint, and watercolor classes."

"And they're great?" Josh asked, wiping the corner of his mouth. "Have you had them all?"

"Yeah, but I think I'm going to up my classes. Drawing 1 is easy." Zayn said, shrugging.

"Leave this one alone too long, and he'll draw a map of the whole city." Louis sighed, pushing back his chair and snuffling. "I'm going to head back to the dorms, catch Harry on the way if I can." He wiggled his eyebrows, "See you around, or tomorrow morning." He nudged Zayn, "If you know what I mean."

Zayn swatted him away.

"Don't hurt my son!" Niall joked as Louis circled the table and left along the way.

The table remained quiet but for the quiet chatter with some pair at the table, Zayn cleared his throat. "So, you and Louis get along well. How long has he been down here?"

"A while, we just started talking. Anything but campus," he groaned, "This place is already giving me a headache."

"You said you didn't even do anything yet." Josh noted.

"Not my point." Niall stated quickly, "Getting up early, trying to stay awake during the teacher's speech - now that's tiring."

"Sounds like bull shit to me." Josh chuckled.

"Shut up."

"Hey, do you know when the school store closes?" Zayn tipped into the conversation.

"I heard it closes before the last supper shift. In a little bit, I guess." Josh answered, "You'd be better off going there tomorrow."

"I know, I just want to check around." Zayn said, standing up from his chair with his tray.

"Don't get lost in the halls, then." Niall taunted. "Campus rules that we don't get into trouble, so much for that rule." He snickered as Josh swatted the back of his hand at Niall's shoulder.

 

Zayn nodded to the others absently at the table, and put his tray with the other stack by the trash. He waved to Niall as he passed the table again and wandered back out to the hallway, he looked right and left. Picking a direction, he went right. The hall followed a series of doors with labels beside them with no clue on to where the store was. He passed the gym on the way around the circling hall, and kept going around until he paused at a set of double doors like the cafeteria. Only on the other side, instead of noise, was murmuring silence. He pushed open the door, and just as he did, a shoulder bustled into his own almost suddenly.

 

"Sorry." Zayn said, but he met nothing but stone.

 

Liam stood, staring back at him. Their shoulders merely brushing as he passed by him almost slowly now, in Zayn's vision. Liam smelt like smoke and musk, the types of cigarettes Zayn smoked once but stopped when the smell stuck too much to him and his mom almost caught him in his act as a young teen. Musky like a basement's dust that settled for too long, poorly masked by cologne and burned through Zayn's nose. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best. Seemingly sweet and yet spicy, Liam's hand brushed Zayn's and Zayn's arm instantly yanked back like Liam were a raging fire. The opposite really, Liam's skin was below freezing, his knuckles sharp, and yet his skin smooth.

 

His eyes are what kept Zayn frozen to the ground. They were stone cold, dead on the inside with auburn to surround it but attempting nothing to make it beautiful. It was sharp, dangerous, - unwanted.

 

Liam continued down the hall, book in hand as he went. Zayn watched him go, but when Liam glanced back the moment he turned the corner a smirk stood on his lips - a devious one that meant nothing but trouble. Zayn stepped into the room finally, the warmth and stiff smell of freshly brewed tea and old books bringing back the lovely feel of home. He stepped up to the front desk, the woman behind it looking down at book. Her skinny glasses propped up on her nose, straps holding them in place, and if they were to drop they'd hang around her neck.

 

"Excuse me?"

She looked up.

"Do you know where I could find the artist's books?" He pitched a small smile, "I'm from Mr. Jarvis' class."

She stared a moment, before looking down at her book again. Her voice pained and almost scratchy, annoyed even, "The shelf in the furthest right, you'll find them with the other supplies." She didn't look back up at him.

He nodded, seeing as she didn't want to be bothered in her time. "Thank you." He mumbled, hand sliding off the desk as he went towards the right corner and his eyes wandered over the school items.

 

There were computer chords, and electrical chords, of all sorts. School items as well as office items, pens, pencils, paper clips, and even tiny basketball hoops for the top of trash bins to through into. He came to a slow stop, standing in front of the aisle labeled 'Art' and his eyes scanned over everything there. Brushes, pallets, a small easel even, kneading erasers, sandpaper, blending pencils, and pens of all sorts. He shoved his hands in his pockets, biting back on his cheek absently, and moved along the aisle. Coming to the books, he stopped. There was a travel sized one, a good four inches by three, and a hand held one that stood at a seven inches to ten. All dimensions until he'd come to the eight inch to eleven, picking it up and flipping through it.

 

"Are you almost done here, Mr.?"

He looked up seeing the register woman standing feet from him. He held up the book.

"We're closing in ten minutes." She said plainly, before turning and going back to her desk.

He turned back to the aisle, "Okay." Mumbling, he reached for the other book, a settling eleven inch by fifteen, and put the other back. He began along the aisle, before stopping. Before him was an artist's box of supplies. Playing at the latches, he opened the suitcase looking at watercolor pallets, a brush to paint with, sharpener, and color pencils on the other end. Closing it, he turned it over looking at the smooth, dark wood and then back to the front. He sighed, shutting the case and started for the front desk with the two books in hand. He would use them for something, surely. The woman at the desk absently and quietly rung up his items, and he held out his money, receiving the extra he grabbed his books and moved to the doors.

"Hey."

He turned, the woman standing behind the desk. "Yes?"

She stared a moment, squinting her eyes at him, and sucking her cheeks in. She looked like a moving skeleton, old, but maybe fast. "Are you one of those kids out there who're messing with the teacher's cars?"

He shook his head, "No ma'am. I don't do that sort of stuff."

She nodded slowly at him, "Better not be." She said under her breath, keys jingling in her hand, as she organized the desk and he turned for the door again. "Hey."

He turned again, "Yes?"

She pointed at him, "You watch yourself out there, there are some crazy things happening around here. We don't need another body up on this campus, do we?"

Zayn shook his head, "No."

She nodded again. "Good talk." She smacked her gums together, and he moved from the door freely again. He let out a breath and moved along the halls quickly, out into the cold air again, he tucked his jacket close to him with his books under his arm.

 

 _Another body on campus_? Last time he'd checked, no one died on campus in the last few days. Some thing's didn't add up. He walked silently along the walk way, lanterns lighting his way as he could see the glow of the dorm buildings on the tiny corner of the property. It only bothered him more on what that woman had said, how could some one drop what she'd just said? Accusing him of messing with the teacher's cars, and a body being brought up on the grounds. If anything happened, they would tell the students. Wouldn't they? Even if they didn't know what happened or who had committed the act, they'd tell the students and settle it quickly before it could escalate. The question that bothered him as well, was - who was they? Who would cover up the incident? The grounds keeper? Security? Or was it something bigger?

 

He shook the cold off of him as he entered the dorm building, moving towards the well operating elevator. Surely faculty wouldn't mind. Hitting the button up, he'd stepped out onto his floor and down the hall. His keys clinking in the lock, and people passed. He still didn't understand why people left their doors wide open, music playing from their stereos they'd brought along, or their laptops. Everything completely open and allowed for any one to walk in or pass, seeing what and who's inside if any. The door opened and he stepped inside, seeing Louis on his stomach scrolling through his laptop.

 

"Hey." Louis said, glancing up. "Get yourself some books?"

"Yeah." He kicked off his shoes, "Anything on 'Harold'?"

Louis huffed, "The little bugger wouldn't even allow me on his floor." He grouched, "Tomorrow then." He swayed, kicking his feet behind him.

Zayn nodded, hanging his jacket in the closet. "Hey, Lou?"

"Yeah?"

He furrowed his brow, "Has anything happened on campus?"

"Like what?" He mumbled, staring at the computer. When Zayn didn't answer, he looked up meeting Zayn's wandering stare. "Like what?"

He shrugged, "Any accidents?"

Louis' eyes wandered around the room thinking, "No, that I know of. Why? What's up?"

Zayn shrugged off his shirt, grabbing another shirt from his dresser and boxers. "The lady at the desk, in the store, she was talking some nonsense. Saying that a body turned up on campus," he laughed, "crazy."

"What is that woman taking?" He laughed, "No body turned up on school grounds, it would've travelled. Word about it, I mean."

"Exactly."

He waved his hand at Zayn, "Don't worry about it, she's probably just on something. Probably sniffing too much news spread ink." He joked, looking to his laptop.

Zayn laughed, shaking his head. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Why would I care?" Louis huffed, "If you fall, all I'm going to do is take a picture and laugh."

"How thoughtful." Zayn said, walking into the bathroom. "Remind me to switch your shampoo with Nair."

"What a lovely idea, Z." Louis said, tension in his voice.

Zayn stared a moment, not knowing if he should have trusted Louis in the room where he put his shampoo and conditioner in the shower. He squinted, "I hate you."

Louis cackled as the door came to a close, and the water started running.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Happy Halloween! I hope everyone has at least some plans to have fun tonight, whether it's going out and trick or treating, handing out candy, or staying home watching movies, or doing nothing. Either or is fine and dandy! This is a little Halloween gift from me to you, I guess, makes this festival a bit for posting on Halloween. :D Be safe, make sure to have some light on you have reflective visors so vehicles can see you in the dark, and please make sure to travel in groups or an adult or supervisor, for the younger ones of course. I hope you have the best of nights, and that you're safe. Watch out for vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, banshee's, Grudges, and possibly Slender Man. Just saying. I'm going out as Ronald McDonald, but PinkStylist's version - a makeup artist on Youtube, check him out, he's amazing and should be in the movies for cryig out loud - because I have the uniform and apron, from my sister working there, and I'm going to work on my makeup in a bit I hope. :) Remember, you're loved, and important. Have fun, be safe. See you around. :) -Ayh

The class was silent again.

" _Alicia Houston_?" Mr. Jarvis looked around the room, "Does any one know _Alicia Houston_?"

Every one looked around the room.

"Come on," he said, "Some one has to know her here. Any one see her on campus?" No one. "At dinner or supper?" No one answered. "Library?"

Every one stood quiet.

"Maybe she transferred."

Every one turned around to the voice, no one but Liam sitting in the back leaning on the two back legs of his chairs, chewing his gum with his back teeth.

Mr. Jarvis stared, "Maybe."

"You should have a talk with security then," he smirked, "If she's skipping classes, and doing something she's not doing." He shrugged, "Who knows what she's doing?"

The class stood still, Zayn stared at Liam with a never ending gaze.

Mr. Jarvis nodded, "I'll look into it, chair down please, Mr. Payne."

Liam rolled his eyes, a smirk on his lips, as he lowered himself on the four legs and leaned forward on the desk. Nothing on his desk but his hands folded in front of him, no artist book or a pencil.

 

Zayn found him strange. He didn't smile, but always smirked, and he answered in nothing but sarcasm. Nothing only did he always have a longing glare, and even sharper stare, but he seemed deadly. He smelt like cigarettes, not that Zayn ever got close to him since the encounter of yesterday, but he seemed to be bad news. A tattoo covering his hand, one crawling up the back of his neck - not that he really could see it because when ever they were ready to leave - Liam was always the one to be out the door before the bell even rung. He looked threatening, and almost murderous. There was something about his sarcastic tone that hid anger and pent up emotion, some thing Zayn had seen all through his secondary school in people, but this was something deeper. _Darker_.

 

Liam's eyes moved from the front of the room to Zayn who still stood staring back at him, Zayn flushed. His heart kicked up a notch, and his entire body jerked forward. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, almost as if a chilly breeze entered the room and settled past him quickly. He felt sick, but collecting his breath, he focused back on what Mr. Jarvis had started explaining. About the first artists, first artifacts found of either some necklace or some plate. Zayn could never remember, or have the will to remember.

 

Class moved along smoothly, and Mr. Jarvis had moved around the room to allow some students to ask questions of critiquing their first project. Zayn was leaned on his hand, listening to his music, and brushing his pencil along the outline of Louis' chin and jaw. Drawing in the stubble, and his left eye with a sparkle in the corner of it - considering Zayn had once pointed out that when Louis smiled, his eyes crinkled up and there was this little spark in the corner of it, and Louis laughed at him for that making some lame comment on how Zayn was trying to woo him by saying he had beautiful eyes. Zayn made Louis sleep on the couch at his house that day.

 

"That's amazing work."

Zayn popped up, Mr. Jarvis looking down at his paper, he took out an ear bud.

"Where was your inspiration?" He asked, eyes wide as they met Zayn.

He shrugged, "My mate Lou."

Jarvis nodded, "Does he come here?"

"Yeah."

He nodded again, "This is good work," he smiled widely, looking to Zayn's eyes again, "I'm liking it." He said, moving over to Eleanor. "And what is this?"

Eleanor flushed, "I - decided I was going to try and draw the fountain out front." She shied, "It's horrible."

"Horrible?" Mr. Jarvis faced the drawing towards him, "You find this horrible?"

She nodded, "I'm only good at small things, the fountain - it's massive." She laughed nervously.

"Life starts - outside your comfort zone." He turned it back to Eleanor, "From a teacher to student, I think this is quite good actually. I like how you put detail into the dolphin at the top. Very good." He smiled, moving along the line.

Eleanor stared down at the drawing then Zayn's, "I should've just drawn a person like you did." She sighed.

"Why? I like your drawing." He said, looking at the fountain.

"It's horrendous."

"It's a start." Zayn said, pulling the paper towards him. "How would you know it'd turn out bad if you didn't finish it?"

She shrugged.

"I always finished a piece, no matter what. No matter if I hated it, or didn't like a certain thing. I just finished it, and when I was done - I realized all that complaining that it wasn't right, or some thing was a shade off from some thing else, or that the coloring was too rough - I still finished it, and I found out I did better than from where I started." He shrugged, "You shouldn't ever give up, what you don't know - wouldn't be too bad to actually know some times."

Eleanor stared at him with wondering eyes, then the paper, then back to him. "Why'd you pick art? You're better at speaking and conference." She commented.

He laughed, "I don't know, honestly - I don't know."

She smiled, pulling the drawing back in front of her. "Do you normally do that?"

"Hm?"

"Tell people they're going to be okay? Do you tell your siblings that or something?"

"Don't have any." He shrugged, "Just me and my mom."

"Your father's out of the picture? - I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask." She quickly pulled away.

"No. It's alright. He left when I was young, I don't remember him and I don't want to."

"Why?"

He shrugged, "He left in the beginning because he wasn't ready to have a family, I don't blame him - he was probably scared. But I don't want him back in our lives because we're doing just fine with out him." He mumbled, erasing a bit of the messed up stray of a line by Louis' drawn eye.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be," he smiled, "What's there to be sorry about?"

"Nothing." She smiled, "Never mind."

He nodded and went back to his drawing, "Do you - have any siblings?"

"I'm the youngest of three."

"Three." He said shocked.

"Yeah. The oldest is twenty-seven, Jane, and the middle child is Tyler, twenty-two."

"So, one sister and one brother-."

"Two sisters." She corrected, "Tyler's a transwoman."

Zayn stared, "Oh. I - I didn't know. I'm - sorry."

She laughed, "It's okay. Most people get mistaken when I say Tyler, but she's just as beautiful as any other day she's come to be known as a woman." She smiled, "And nothing changes the fact that I have family."

Zayn nodded. "Do they pick on you?"

She grunted, "All the time."

He smiled. "Call you the baby?"

"Every day."

"Picked last?"

"Okay, yeah - I get where you're coming from. You're picking on me for being the youngest, I see where you're trying to get me. Yes," she huffed up, "I'm the youngest child in my family, deal with it." She sighed playfully, arms over her chest.

He nodded, and looked to his drawing. Silence building. "Did they taunt you on being the last one to the finish line?"

"Shut up." She pointed and he laughed, "Shut it." She laughed, trying to be serious and a smiling breaking through. "It is not funny."

He laughed, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You're not very nice, or funny."

He put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, alright. I'll stop picking at you."

"Thank you." She sighed, going back to her drawing.

"So, how's it like? Having siblings? Minus the whole, younger situation?"

"It's just like - having close friends, childhood friends, who live with you. You share things, bond, and - I don't know, protect each other. Some thing like that."

"Some thing like that." He repeated, "My mom was thinking of having another child, but she said she didn't want to have to focus on having another child while caring for me. Plus - she never found any one after the last one left. So, I guess I was her one and only."

"That makes you special."

"Why do you say that?"

"Out of all the chances in the world, you were the one who happened to be." She shrugged, "I find it kind of - amazing. How there was so many combinations, so many codes, and yet this one combination comes out and every single one if forgotten because this one beat every one to the finish line." She smiled, "It's a miracle work."

He nodded. "I never thought of it like that."

"You learn some thing new every day." She smiled, going on to finish up tracing her drawing a bit and fixing some lines.


	8. Chapter 8

"Mr. Malik, may I speak with you for a couple of minutes?"

Zayn furrowed his brow at Mr. Jarvis then looked back to Eleanor, Eleanor looked between them confused.

"It's nothing bad, I promise. Won't take more than a couple of minutes of your time." He smiled, and it was trusting.

Zayn nodded to Eleanor, "Catch you 'round lunch?"

"Yeah, just call me." She smiled, shifting her bag on her shoulder and was unsure before moving in and giving him a little hug.

He hugged back for the tiny moment, and then turned to Mr. Jarvis when she'd walked off. The class quickly emptying.

Zayn stepped down the few steps, landing himself before Mr. Jarvis gently but awkwardly. "What is it?" He asked.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions, is all." He crossed his arms over his chest, "What do you think about class?"

He shrugged.

"What do you think personally? Is it too slow? Too easy?"

"It's easy."

"And you're not challenged by the drawing? You're good at it, I know, but do you think it's too easy for you?" He asked, "College here is some thing us adults say that people can challenge themselves, do you think that you're in a low level and maybe you should try some thing harder?"

Zayn shifted on his feet. "Well, it's easy but - I wanted to start out slow. I thought that's what the classes were for-."

"No, no. There's nothing wrong with it, I was just offering an idea. Since you know the basic skill, in which this class teaches, I was thinking that a person of your level and skill would want to dive right in and face the challenges." He put his hands up, "I'm sorry if I'm offending you in any way, you can say when ever I do something that offends you or I say something that I shouldn't."

"It's alright. I was thinking the same thing the first class in, that maybe I should try Drawing three or four - but different people, different teachers, do different things and I don't want to miss something if that's the case."

Mr. Jarvis nodded, "I see." He stood up, "Alright. That's all I wanted to ask." He smiled, "You settled in alright? Everything okay in your dorm room? You're roommate isn't too rowdy, I hope." He laughed.

"My roommate is Louis, the one I'm drawing."

"Oh, I see." He lightened, "I think it's actually quite amazing that you could capture living life, considering I don't think many people would like to sit in a chair for hours on end, depending on the speed, to model for some one's drawing."

"No. He's not one for sitting down, never was."

Mr. Jarvis laughed, patting Zayn's arm. "I think you'll do great, you'll be okay. And if anything, come to me. I'm always around." He smiled.

"Sure thing." Zayn said, as he started to walk off.

"Oh, and Mr. Malik."

He turned, "You could call me Zayn, it's my first name." He commented.

Mr. Jarvis chuckled, " _Zayn_." He smiled, "It's a pleasure to have met you, you're quite the company to have in class. I can already see a bright future for you." He smiled, and it was big and long lasting.

Zayn smiled back, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He pointed at Zayn before dropping his hand, "Now, run along. Lord knows, we all hate having to be in class too long." He joked, and Zayn nodded as he walked off.

 

Pushing the class room door open, he stuffed his book inside his backpack. It struggled a moment before his latch unhooked and he cursed to himself as he came to a quick stop, a stop too sudden and someone else collided with him. His book fell open. Scattered papers that he'd ripped out and thought of drawing again came out, marked over the lightly dusted floor, and he was so close to maybe crying.

 

"Sorry, didn't see you there."

"No. It's fine." He said, staring down at the papers as he began picking them up.

"Let me." They said, kneeling beside him as they grabbed some papers shuffling them together.

Their hands brushed, and Zayn ripped his hand back quickly. The touch like a pinch, he looked up.

In complete eye level, he lost his breath and his hand strayed to keep himself up from leaning over and falling on his side. Liam stared back at him, collecting the last paper together as his features did nothing. Not even change once when they met, and Zayn was shot by those sharp eyes. Liam corrected himself, giving a little scoff and smile, cheeks high. "I'm sorry about that," his voice lighter, "I actually didn't see you coming, guess I was too busy - doing what ever."

Zayn blinked, "No, it's fine. I needed to reorganize my book anyways," they stood, "uh, sorry for being in the way." He scoffed.

"Guess I was in the way though." He chuckled, looking down at the papers. His eyes focused, "You drew these?"

"Oh! Give me those." Zayn said, grabbing majority but Liam grabbed one back.

"What's thing?" He asked, looking over it.

Zayn stared, "That's-." He froze, the paper held the beginning of sharp eyes. The brow gentle drawn in, eyes set to a glare, and colored in with the shades of black and grey. They were _Liam's_ eyes. "That's nothing."

Liam looked at Zayn then the drawing, "You draw good." He smiled, holding it back out to Zayn.

Zayn shied away, "Thank you."

"You know," he shoved his hands in his pockets, "I draw as well. Not to a god-like level like yours, but I can draw stick figures."

Zayn found this entirely humorous, he laughed. "I don't know which part to laugh at more. That you think my drawing is god-like or that you draw stick figures."

"If you were to laugh at my stick figures, I wouldn't blame you." He smiled, seemingly relaxed on the outside. "And you do draw good, I saw your drawing. The one for the project."

Zayn flushed.

"It's beautiful."

He scoffed, "It's not, really. It's just another art piece of mine."

"Guess that's what makes it special then." His smile was warming, but his eyes were alerting. Something hidden behind those dark eyes that shook him back up from being relaxed around him, he kept a smile on though.

The silence between them grew, and Liam's stare only bore more into Zayn. Zayn awkwardly laughed. "Uh, I have to-," he pointed behind Liam, "go to - the dorms."

"Oh, right." Liam said, moving around. "Same here, guess I can't stay around any longer than this." He smiled, holding open the door.

"Thanks." He mumbled, walking down the stairs and Liam followed.

"What dorm do you live in?"

Zayn glanced back, "I don't really know the names for them. It's the one with the oak tree in the back."

"Really? That's my dorm, as well."

"Really? I haven't see you around." They walked in sync, their feet aligned.

"No, I'm not one to stay in one spot for too long. It gets boring after a while, have to get out of the room and wander around a bit before going back in at midnight."

"You stay out that late? On campus?"

"When the time comes, yeah." Liam shrugged, "I guess I'm just always hyperactive, I like wide ranges. Crowds, and people."

Zayn nodded slowly, "I don't like crowds, I'm more of a _'stay-put'_ person."

"Ah, I see." Liam smiled even wider, "You like to stay in when it's too cold, or when it's raining."

Zayn scoffed, "Every one enjoys the rain, some more than others."

"Touché."

They walked along the path, the dorm buildings in sight past the fountain and facility building.

"So, did you always want to do art?"

Zayn scoffed, "Yeah." His voice slanting.

"What's that?"

"What?"

"With the voice? Why so flat?"

"Every one keeps asking me why I picked art." He shrugged, "As if it's so hard to picture me in an art studio, or tattoo parlor."

"No, I didn't think of it like that. I didn't mean to say it like that."

"It's alright. I shouldn't have said that." Zayn mumbled.

Liam wandered into silence, then grew closer, his shoulder occasionally bumping into Zayn's. "We didn't introduce ourselves formally." They stopped before they could get around the fountain, he held out his hand.

"We have the same class. We're doing this?"

"Sure." Liam nudged his hand out, "I'm Liam."

Zayn rolled his eyes, "I'm Zayn." His hand connected with Liam's, and his hand was cold, like he'd forgotten to wear gloves in winter compared to Zayn's mid-warm palms. He moved to pull his hand back from the sudden burst of cold air, but he couldn't pull his hand back from Liam. "Wow, your hands are cold."

Liam laughed, "Sorry. Poor Circulation to the hands."

"I can feel that." Zayn smiled, their hands never disconnecting. "Is this how you shake people's hands? You just hold it between people?"

"If I feel like I like them, yeah."

Zayn's face heated, " _Like them_?"

"Like a mate, I mean." He laughed, "Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you. We're friends." He patted his other hand on the back of Zayn's, the coldness twice as worse.

"We're friends?"

"Yeah. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" His voice tempting and almost nagging. "I mean, we have the same class together. Might as well help each other out, right?"

Zayn looked down to their connected hands, Liam's hands encased around Zayn's. The cold hands around his was draining his hand of warmth, his cheeks cold in the autumn air, and Liam's sharp eyes were slicing him apart. He smiled, "Sure. What harm could a new friend do?"

Liam laughed, finally dropping their hands. "Right. Dorms. Shall we?"

Zayn nodded and Liam moved along the way first, Zayn's smile never ending. He could feel his stomach hallow but it felt jittery with feeling and something of happiness, but he had an uneasy feeling that made him want to puke. Getting to the dorm steps, they walked up and Liam held the door open again. Walking in, Liam followed beside Zayn.

"What floor do you live on?"

Zayn swayed, "Seven."

Liam smiled, "I live on eighth, we're almost floor buddies." He hit the button to the elevators, "I bet the faculty wouldn't mind us using this." He mumbled, walking into the elevators and walking by the buttons. He looked back to Zayn. "Well then? Come on."

Zayn lingered on the floor.

"Zayn?"

He almost instantly curled to his name being called, walking over the threshold and into the elevator side. Liam hit the button to the seventh floor, and the elevator doors closed. Zayn's heart hammered against his chest.

Liam glanced over, "How was your day, by the way?" He said coy.

Zayn smiled, "It was alright."

Liam nodded, and they both looked to the lighting numbers above the door. "And class?"

"I did good."

"Did you get to finish the drawing?"

"Uh, no. I was hoping to finish the project maybe tomorrow or the day after-."

"I meant the one with the eyes." Liam stared.

Zayn choked on the inside, a momentary pause seen from the outside. "Uh-." He laughed nervously. "No."

Liam shook his head, a moment of silence before, "Who's eyes are they?"

The door dinged open, and Zayn was relieved. "Oh, look. Guess this is my floor." He smiled, "See you in class." He said, walking backwards from the elevator. He tangled out his keys, and mentally punched himself in the head repeatedly.

" _Zayn_."

He screeched to a stop, and turned almost slowly. The people who passed in the hall went slowly, glancing back to see Liam - as know as dangerous, so told rumors - speaking with some one they've never seen him with before.

His eyes met a stone cold expression, and his heart skipped a beat. The elevator doors closed behind Liam, as he stepped out as Zayn could not be any more screwed then now. "It was nice talking with you." He smirked, and turned down the opposite hall.

Zayn watched him go around the corner and disappear, he closed his eyes and exhaled. Rushing to his door, he swung it open once it was unlocked and found it empty. Not even the shower running. "Louis?" He called, and checked the bathroom. He knocked, "Lou?"

There was silence a moment. "Yeah?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. Just checkin' if you were around."

Louis opened the door, his head popping out. "What?"

"Nothing." He mumbled, throwing his bag down and looking to his backpack. The notebook stood with it's corner sticking out, pulling it from the sack he opened it and stared down at the pair of eyes staring back at him. Even when Liam smiled and laughed, there was something odd about him. He sounded happy, and looked happy - but his eyes always gave a dead stare.

 

_Strange._


	9. Chapter 9

Zayn looked up as Louis slammed down his tray, clearly distressed. Zayn stared confused, "What's up with you?" He asked.

"That good for nothing giraffe, is what's wrong." He growled, opening his water bottle with a fuss. "I asked him out kindly yesterday, and he said no. Then I asked him out on a date this morning, and he just laughed at me." He huffed, his water bottle cap never moving. He gave up with a grunt. "Why's he so obnoxious? With his good looks, and body. Practically waving it in front of my face behind a ten foot glass wall."

Zayn chuckled, shaking his head as he reached over and uncapped Louis' water. "I think you're over-reacting, mate. He just wants you to chase him around, he's playing hard to get."

Louis gripped his water bottle, "Well, two can play at this game." He huffed, drinking his water.

Zayn shook his head, going back to munching on his food as the speaking in the cafeteria got louder. He looked up.

"What's all this then?" Louis said, looking around curiously trying to find the focal point of this chatter.

"Don't know." Zayn mumbled, searching the room until his ears found the exact corner of noise by the entrance door.

 

In walked Liam, his shoulders stiff and jaw set tight on his face. Sharp as a blade, and his ego even sharper. People mumbled as he went, eyes watching him like he were the last treat in a doggy jar and every one was rabid for it. Liam's eyes darted along the room, almost analyzing the corners and very crevices of the tables. He looked mean, and had every means of destroying any thing in his path, it seemed. Zayn watched him from a distance, and watched as a smirk formed almost deliciously and slowly on Liam's lips as he angled through the crowd and swung his leg over a bench at a table across the room. In plain sight, Zayn couldn't look away as Liam leaned on the table speaking with a guy who'd turned ten times darker than a tomato. Liam's eyes were alluring and his lips whispering words that even the deaf would hear in the back of their heads somewhere, Liam's eyes were trained on this guy zero'ing on him entirely.

 

"Huh." Louis scoffed, "That guy. I've heard of him." He straightened back to his table and tray, "He's quite the talk of the place."

Zayn turned to him, "What do you mean?"

He shrugged, "His name's Liam Payne. He went out with some girl before they broke up just a few days ago." He leaned on his elbows, glancing over to Liam again. "He's Grade A shit. Some kid in his secondary class said he'd transferred in last moment, and every one was surrounding him at all times."

"That's it?"

"Not quite." Louis nudged over to Liam, "You see, supposedly, his parent's left him when he was a kid. His dad was a drunk, and his mom couldn't take care of him. So he was put in one of those foster homes. The kid in his secondary class said this, some Nick kid." He waved it off, "Anyways, after his 18th birthday, he signed himself out and no one found him since. Three years later, he's back home in London and he's here." Louis shook his head, "Quite the story he has."

Zayn's eyes found Liam in the crowd again, where he'd made the guy beside him laugh and his hand was resting on their shoulder.

"All I can tell you is that guy's got some skill, got a girlfriend for the first day of Uni. Dumped her three days after." He laughed, "What a lady killer."

 

Zayn looked back over Louis' shoulder to Liam. Liam was smiling, his eyes never leaving the laughing form of a guy in front of him. His hand resting on their upper back, between his shoulder blades, and his other hand soothing lines over his hand. He was a flirt, and player. Yet Zayn couldn't seem to find himself not wanting to be around him, and he couldn't help himself but stare a moment too much longer. Liam let out a small chuckle, and his eyes straightened looking around before finding Zayn looking. His jaw was set slowly, and a smirk formed before Liam's eyes fell back on the guy in front of him. Zayn looked down at his tray, and glanced to Louis who'd finished his food and scrolled through his phone on the table.

 

He shrugged it off, and continued eating his breakfast.

 

After breakfast, and walking across campus to the school administrated building lights flashes and an ambulance stood out in the parking lot. Louis and Zayn both looked to each other, and the forming crowd of students who'd wanted to attend school today were held at a distance from the building and the scene. Louis pushed to the front of the crowd, Zayn having to follow, and they came up to officers and staff holding their hands out instructing them to move back.

 

"This is a restricted area, we advise you all to go back to your dorm buildings. All classes are cancelled today." Said a staff member, Zayn recognized to be the one who'd pointed him in the direction of the lines.

"What happened?" Some one called out in the crowd.

"We're under investigation, there is nothing to worry about. Could you please all return to your dorm buildings?" The police officer said, holding his hands up and seemingly pushing the crowd back without having to touch them.

Some left, but the rest stood in curiosity.

"Lou!" Niall called, Harry following behind him.

"Hey." Louis said, "Do you know what's going on?"

"No, we can here just when you guys came. We're just as clueless." He shrugged.

"I heard it was a suicide." Some girl said beside Zayn, he looked down to her. "Some girl in the Media or Art classes." She glanced to him, "They're trying to cover it up by saying it's some chemical spill done by the science side of the school. I call bull shit."

Louis looked around Zayn, "Where'd you hear that?"

She glanced to him, "Some of the staff were talking about it, plus - some of the custodians are easy to bribe." She insisted.

"A suicide? Really?" Niall looked to Harry, "There's plenty of help here, why would any one do it on school grounds?"

"Easy access to anything," she shrugged, "Beats me."

"Who are you?" Louis asked.

She looked to the four, "Perrie."

"I'm Niall, this is Harry, Louis, and _Zen_."

She looked between them then to the scene, "Cool. Look - I'm heading back to the dorms. See you." She mumbled, walking through the deteriorating crowd.

The four turned to each other, "Well, she's lovely." Louis joked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

The four looked to where the officers stood and walked behind the paramedic vans, and police cars. "What a shame. Maybe one of us knew the person." Niall commented.

Louis shrugged, "Guess we wont know until word gets around the school."

"It's sad though, the thought that one of us, a student, would think of such a way to relieve themselves." Harry mumbled, and Niall nudged his arm gently as like a sort of saying of 'it's okay'.

"Think of their parents, sending off their kids to college and so early into the first week - this happens." Zayn said, and every one went silence for a while.

"Surely." Niall said, glancing over his shoulder to the school building. "Well, what do we do all day then? There's no class." He sighed, pulling the attention away from the scene in front of them.

Harry raised his finger, "I had to visit my sister after class, guess she wouldn't mind me dropping in early."

" _Sure_ you do." Louis said coldly, a smile on his lips though.

Harry stared, "Is there something you'd like to say, I'm all ears for it."

Niall scoffed, sucking in a chuckle watching the two bicker.

"No, not at all. Just go right ahead, nothing's stopping you from visiting your sister. No friends that would love to hang with you or anything, no - just go." Louis said, waving his hand over his shoulder.

Harry sucked in his cheeks, partially looking irritated. A small kindled fire burned in his eyes, threatening to spread to Louis' annoyance.

"Will you two just cut it out already and throw in the towel?" Niall laughed, "God, you're worse than my wan and pa."

"I don't think me and Harry have anything to fight about, do we _Harold_?" He asked, his tone more than playfully annoyed.

"I don't see anything either, as far as I can see standing here."

Zayn stepped back to the blow.

Louis pursed his lips together, his cheekbones on display as if it were a defense mechanism of his. He scoffed, irratibility reeking off of him.

"Alright, wan and pa, break it up." Niall called, "We'll see you around dinner, Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm hoping to come back after. Have dinner with her. Obviously being fine with every one here." He toned towards Louis.

"Totally fine." Louis called out flat.

Zayn's shoulder nudged into Louis', almost reassuring in some subconscious way, "See you then."

"Yeah." Harry's features smoothened out, smiling to Zayn. "See you two later." He smiled, giving a wave and then glanced back to Louis before turning and shoving his hands in his pockets as a breeze came by.

"What was that about?" Zayn asked, looking to Louis.

"Just some banter between the two, been going on since this morning, eh Lou?" Niall smiled.

"Fuck off _Ireland_." He growled, but Niall only laughed.

"His anger is the size of a chihuahua, is he always this angry towards people he's met?"

Zayn smirked at that one, "No, only people like Harry. He's got under your skin, don'chu think?"

Louis glared at Zayn, "Shut up." He whispered, "Let's go." He looked back to the scene and started back for the dorm buildings.

Niall smiled to Zayn, passing him and giving him a shake on the shoulder before laughing and following Louis along.

 

Zayn turned to the scene. The police tape wrapped around the corner of the school, the paramedics truck still there and blinking it's lights in the morning air. Wind came by and he shivered, pulling his hood up on his head his neck relaxed in the warm of cover. Looking over the scene, the police cars lined the parking lot along with a fire truck, and a couple of SUV's he could only presume to be the detective's and investigators.

 

Why would anyone do some thing like that to themselves in a place so accepting and close, he thought to himself as he turned for the dorms already seeing Louis and Niall half way there. Glancing over his shoulder again, he could see an officer crouching to the floor and over looking the blocked body he'd think they'd probably covered in those black bags already. Then the thought hit him - why would any one know there was a body on the school grounds before the officials knew?

 

How'd the _librarian_ know?

 

It only made him colder, down to the bone, thinking about it as he tucked his head down and walking along the way, passing the facility's building, and the food court building but eyed the long, stretched windows of the library that faced the parking lot. He eyed it, as if he could see something through the dark windows, only managing to see the aisles of book shelves and racks of magazines at every aisle end.

 

Mumbling voices came closer, but his foot caught into a step with another. He collided with a hard THUNK, and arms grabbed him to keep him up on his feet, his eyes clenched for a moment before opening and seeing that he'd been looking over the shoulder of someone. He pulled back, looking up and meeting those caramel eyes he'd drawn, and still couldn't see a single ounce of happiness in them. The smell of smoke consumed him, and the leather wheezed and struggled under the constriction of muscle.

  
"Head in the clouds?" Liam asked, a joking tone as he stepped back, smoking dancing between his fingers from a cigarette. He walked around Zayn, brushing shoulders to the point where the leather even brushed Zayn's collar bone and walked with the stranger of a guy beside him.

 

That guy was the one he'd been talking with in the cafeteria, giving Zayn a glance before his eyes fell on Liam, regardless that Liam's eyes were practically glued to Zayn even as he walked further away. He raised the cigarette to his lips, inhaling, and giving a wink to Zayn before exhaling the smoking and turning forward. His arm winding around the guy beside him, and they walked down the path towards the incident. Zayn inhaled and exhaled, realizing he hadn't had the thought of breathing even if it was subconscious to his body. It neglected air, and took in silence. He turned back to the dorm buildings, glancing over his shoulder to see the dance of black and smoke wander into the wind as he walked into the building and up the stairs.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here. :) How's it going? I'm hoping that you like these chapters I'm posting, and that you actually do like the story. I like the story, although I get a little stuck on what to think and write down but one by one I'm knocking down the writer's block, and moving on with the story. I actually like how this is turning out so far, and hopefully have some people who agree with me. This month school is all over the place because of half days, and holidays, and week vacations. It's crazy. So, tomorrow I have a half day, November 20th; Friday, and I won't be on though. I'll be at a friends for the morning I get out, and yeah. Maybe after I get home, around the time she goes to work. But next week, Thanksgiving week, I have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for school but Wednesday is a half day and then I don't go back until December rolls in. What a shock, right? December's already coming and , for me, it doesn't even feel like winter's coming and going already. Here in the east coast, we basically skipped over Autumn and went to winter automatically. That's how much colder it got. Sheesh. Anyways, I hope you're all alright, I hope life hasn't brought you own to the dirt - I know I've been having some rough days, had one today where I had to be dismissed, life hasn't been the kindest to me and I feel like a victim of everything sometimes - but when you remember that you still have the heart that you were born with, and that it will always keep growing, it's amazing what life can bring you. Not matter the bad times. So, I'll get to it. New chapters to come, and new twists to add to the rollercoaster. :D I hope you're all fine, and that you remember that you're loved and so, so important. See you around. :) -Ayh

Zayn spaced out.

 

There was a window, a sort of opening, between the fountain and Louis' ranting going on. The wind would occasionally blow the fountain water on Zayn's back, but he didn't seem to care. His eyes were trained on the scene in the distance. Liam was draped over the guy from day's before, pressing him against the tree with his hands on his hips. The guy would laugh, and Liam would smile like he'd just accomplished deactivating a bomb. Zayn didn't know why he was staring anyways, it just sort of happened. Louis started complaining about Harry and about the school policies on a few things, and Zayn had sort of switched off and looked into the distance where he found some thing absently entertaining.

 

"Zayn, are you even paying attention?" Louis glanced to Zayn's focal point and then back to him, as frigid as the water was behind him he cupped it up and draped it down Zayn's head.

Zayn jumped, shaking the water off. "Louis!"

"What's gone up your ass and died?"

"I could say the same for you!" He muttered, wiping off his hair and groaning.

"What's so interesting over there? Hm?"

Zayn shook his head, "Nothing. I was just looking."

"More like staring down." Louis glanced over to the field behind them, "Relationship after another." He scoffed, "I don't think that kid even knows what long term is."

Zayn rolled his eyes, "Beats me."

Louis turned, staring at Zayn a moment before his eyebrow quirked up. "Do I suspect something going on here?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "No."

"I do." Louis smiled, jabbing his finger at Zayn, "Do I hear that-" he cupped his ear, "my best mate has the hot's for a- a what? A bad boy?" He hissed, "Zayn, I didn't know you had it in you."

Zayn scoffed, "You're such an idiot."

"Not me; you."

"How?"

"You're sitting here, eye balling, when you could just simply befriend him and, you know,-" he nudged him head, "Beat the sack with 'em."

Zayn groaned, "Don't ever say that."

"Come on." Louis sat down beside him, "It's Saturday night, no one is in school. Not that they'd let us for a while but," he threw his arm around Zayn's shoulder, "Let's start some thing."

"Starting anything with you and trying to finish it is like trying to blow out a wild fire." He threw his arm off.

He put it back around him, "Come on," he pestered, "We'll find a good place, find some friends who have a car, and get out of here. Go to a pub, and get knackered." He smiled widely, "Maybe even invite 'Dip stick' over here." He gestured towards Liam.

"No."

"You haven't even thought it over."

"No." He said again, "I'm staying on campus. You can go, and get shit faced. I'm staying."

Louis stared, "And that's better than having fun?"

"Beats having to bug people and maybe accidentally get in trouble." He stood. "Look, Louis, our high school days are over. We can't just ditch class, and go hang out in the girl's locker rooms any more." He shrugged, "We're adults, we're going to be paying for our houses soon enough, and having to take care of other people-."

"This is what I was afraid of." Louis cupped Zayn's shoulders, shaking him. "I didn't want to say this but -," he shook Zayn, "You're growing up too quick, Z. What ever happened to _'we'll be young forever Lou'_ , or - or, you know, _'we'll have roads and roads of stars to run on, we'll never get old'_."

Zayn took Louis' arm off his shoulder, "Lou, I'm not saying that I'm growing up. I just - i want to have responsibility some times. I want to think of my future for a bit, before I can sit back and relax."

Louis stared, his face long and pressed, " _Sit back and enjoy the rollercoaster that is life_." He quoted Zayn, from when they were back in high school, high on some grass, and sat out on Louis' lawn all night. "I thought that was your life quote."

"Yeah, well, some times things change."

Louis shook his head, "Things don't change. People do, Z." He turned, his shoulders slumped, "I'll be in Niall's." He said turning, moving around the fountain and stuffed his jacket closer to him.

"Lou-." He sighed, kicking the side of the fountain lightly and clenched his jaw. His teeth grit together, and he sighed again.

" _Wow_. That just happened."

He turned, Liam standing there with no one beside him any more. "Liam." He muttered in surprise. "Hi."

"Hi." He smiled, "Your friend over there, he okay?"

"Yeah," he glanced over to the disappearing shadow of Louis go into the dorm building, "He'll be okay. Just a heated little talk, he'll be okay."

Liam nodded. "How are you?"

Zayn stared, "Me? Oh - I'm fine." He sputtered, "You?"

"I'm good." He smiled again, eyes digging into Zayn's. "Do you have any plans - as of, right now?"

"Right now?"

Liam nodded.

"Uh, I was going to head back to the dorm and finish up my projects."

"Projects?"

"Well, I get bored." He scoffed. Or better worded, _'he_ _gets bored in the middle of the night when he should be sleeping, and starts drawing anything and everything. Including 'you-know-who-standing-feet-apart-from-him'_. "So, _projects_."

Liam smiled, "Mind if I have a look at said projects?"

He flushed. Having Liam look at his art, and question it about who it was again. Being secluded in a room with Liam, and let alone - having him look at his art?

He chuckled, "Come on, we're both going for an artist's degree here. Aren't we suppose to critique each other's work?" He quirked an eyebrow, sharp and protruding.

Zayn shrugged, "I would but-."

Liam's arm wrapped around Zayn's shoulders, bringing them along to a walk. "What could be the worse possible thing to happen?" He stared down at Zayn, "That I don't like it?"

"Well, -."

"Don't answer that." Liam pointed, finally falling in step with Zayn and they swayed from step to step with his arm still around Zayn's shoulder. "After all, not everything in the world is right and just." He held a questioned tone. "Right?"

Zayn just nodded, his voice failing to be found when Liam stared down at him like a skyscraper and he was standing at street level.

 

Liam smiled, moving them along the campus and into the building. His arm dropping to reach for the elevator button, looking over his shoulder to the front desk woman who paid no mind and then back to Zayn. Zayn was quiet, fidgeting with the fabric on his pocket, absently chewing on the inside of his lip. When the doors opened, he stepped in first with Zayn following and pressed the button up. The gears around the elevator jerked to live, lifting them up, and pulling down on weights that shift down in the basement. To every passing floor, to Zayn was silence but to Liam, people passed and music danced down the halls to the people who decided that they wanted to leave their doors open to anyone.

 

He shifted back into his spot, leaning his back against the wall and glanced to Zayn staring at the elevator floors ding and light up. His eyes traced around Zayn's eyelashes, and to his cheekbones. Down his jaw, and trapped against his neck. The pulse was loud in the closed, little elevator and he could practically see the veins running blue with blood. He could almost hear the switch of breath, the pump of blood to every single oxygen bubble up in Zayn's heart and lungs. His heart filtering out oxygenated blood, and in coming deoxygenating. Zayn smelt clean, healthy - _delicious_.

 

The doors opened and Zayn stepped out. Fishing out his keys, he passed some of his neighbors along the way and glanced back to see if Liam followed. When he looked back, Liam's straight face cast a smile like a child would if they were caught doing something they weren't. He just turned forward. "Before we go in, I just want to say that my roommate can be a bit messy. So if there's some clothes on the floor, don't mind them."

"Noted." Liam smiled, leaning against the door frame where Zayn had stopped. "I wouldn't blame you if there were. As long as your comfortable there."

Zayn nodded, "Yeah, it's like home," he mumbled, unlocking the door and pushed the door open. Silence poured out. He hooked his key on the rack, and took off his jacket shaking off the cold.

Liam stood in the door way, looking down the hall, and then to Zayn. He was compelled not to enter.

Zayn took off his shoes, "Do you want some tea? My roommate is an addict and he brought a long his little set up." He scoffed, "He's something." Zayn glanced up, seeing Liam's feet in the door way. He sat up from untying his shoes and stared at Liam's elbows wedged against the doorway, fingers pressed to his lips, and looked down the hall with almost animalistic characteristics. "What're you doing?"

Liam turned back, eyes darting to Zayn sitting on the bed with his shoe laces untied. He picked up a joke, "Letting in some air, seems a bit stuffy in here."

"Really? I didn't notice. I would open a window, but it's freezing out there."

Liam nodded slowly. "May I come in?"

Zayn stared, brow fixed down. He scoffed, "I'm guessing this once couldn't hurt." He joked.

Liam passed the threshold, and wondered into the room almost suddenly. He wriggled out of his jacket, "I take my tea with one sugar." He said as he wrung his coat up beside Zayn's.

"I'll get the tea together." Zayn said, fishing the kettle from the bookshelf and into the bathroom.

The bedroom stood still for a while being, the curtains swayed, and Liam wandered over brushing the curtains aside and staring to the corners of the window. A breeze soaring through lightly - broken.

Zayn padded into the room, and set the kettle down on the heating pad. "That'll be just a while." He glanced to Liam.

He turned, pointing to the window. "The window's got a draft."

"I know." He sat down on the bed, "I've gone to the front office about it but they haven't said word about it back, it gets colder and colder by the day."

"Even with the heat up?"

"Even with the heat up."

 

Liam nodded, and looked around the room. Zayn's things were neat, and organized, his bed was ruffled but fixed. On the other hand, the other bed was messy, and the blanket hung half on the ground. The dresser in the corner of the room was closed tight, a candle propped on top, a few books, and a potted plant on top. His eyes travelled along some more, finding the bookshelf with the bubbling kettle, and tea cups. The desk in the corner, with papers and books on top. An almost empty binder reading 'Louis' classes'. The other things were shoved into folders with a label, or without one.

 

"I haven't gotten everything together yet, I'm still working on a portfolio to get a job and getting my History and Math folders together. Haven't had them yet, but eventually I will." Zayn said, following Liam's gaze.

Liam picked up an artist's book, hearing the shift in Zayn's seat. "And the books?"

"They're mine."

"Mind if I have a look?" Liam asked, already opening the book cover.

 

Zayn watched as blankly as he could as Liam flipped through the pages, his eyes dotting over the pages, and admiring everything there was to Zayn's drawing. He passed sketches that were just small stencils, charcoal drawings that were done, from still life to things like playground with children on slides. There was shading and rough edges, or scratchy lines, with contrasts, and all sorts of patterns. He came along a water-colored drawing, a small one with blues and greens, reds and yellows. A picture of a woman looking to the side. Her face was the open white page, her eyes outlined in the yellow while her eyes stood red. Her lips a light blue, and the crease dark with lines. She looked downed, her eyelashes curled, her nose small, her ear holding her hair back. It looked beautiful.

 

Zayn exhaled a long breath.

Liam flipped another page, glancing up to Zayn's wondering eyes. A smile growing on his lips as he went. "Looks like I better learn from you then Mark."

"Mark?"

"Jarvis."

Zayn stared a moment, "Mr. Jarvis?"

"Yeah." He placed the book down, still flipping through the never ending pages, eyes wandering along the detail. "What about this one?"

"Which?" He stood, walking over and peeking over Liam's shoulder.

"This one."

 

The page was splattered with sketches, marked with the date of just a few days ago, recent, and it held little details to the human body. Lips open enough to let smoke seep out of it, detailed and sharp. Eyes with a shine in them but looked stilled and unmoving. An eye with the outline of a nose next to it, and a couple more ticks like a hand clenched in a fist, and hand holding a smoke between the middle and index finger, and another set of lips smirking, and smiling with a good outline of teeth. The side of an undrawn face, jawline sharp, collarbone posed, and shoulders relaxed, leaning down to the arm, and a smooth outline of a hip, and v-line.

 

"Oh." Zayn sputtered, "That's - I got bored."

"You've got quite the eye." Liam said, his finger traced the corner of an eye. The one with the sparkle in the corner, and stare dead on. "I wish I had the encouragement and skill to do what you do."

"It just takes time."

Liam turned his eyes to Zayn, over his eyes and down to his lips, "I've already had enough time."

Zayn looked up.

 

So close together that Zayn could count how many dots and birthmarks on Liam's neck, and probably calculate how long Liam hasn't shaved by the slight stubble on his face. The musk of leather wasn't on him anymore, he smelt softer - laundry softener even. His amber brown eyes had spikes of lighter brown in them, seemingly like how a fire would have it's masking orange glow but red in the sot and ashes. His chest rose and fell in that black V-neck, his arm tattooed in four Chevron arrows pointing out towards his hand with more following. He looked rugged and mean with his leather jacket and boots, but here - he looked like some one who just wanted to keep others safe.

 

The kettle whistled.

Zayn moved, clearing his throat. "One sugar, you said?"

"Yeah." Liam pulled out the chair at the desk, leaning back in it and looking around the room again.

Setting the cups, Zayn walked over holding the cup by the top. "We only have sugar packets, will four do?"

"Sure." Liam took them anyways, setting his cup on the desk beside the books and Zayn stirred his cup on top of the dresser.

For a while being, there was silence. Zayn turned off the heating pad, and let the kettle sit to the side to cool. Sipping at his tea, and walking around the room as he tidied things up a bit on Louis' side. Liam just cupped his tea, Zayn didn't question how Liam was holding his cup without any problem of it burning while his burned like the sun, rocking lightly back on the chair. Zayn spoke up, "So, what're you doing for the project?" He asked, stuffing Louis' discarded clothes in the hamper, they'd need to do laundry soon.

Liam shrugged, "Don't know yet."

He laughed, "You haven't even started? It's due when we get back."

"If we get back." He remarked.

Zayn nodded, "Right. The suicide." He mumbled.

"Suicide?"

"Yeah, why we can't go to school? We haven't found out, the police won't tell us." Zayn frowned, "Didn't you hear?"

"Not the suicide part." He chuckled on the inside. _Suicide? That's the conclusion? How sad_. "Shame." He mumbled into his cup, the flavor flat to his tongue.

"Guess not everyone has the sunshine life." Zayn commented, putting his phone on the charger.

"Guess not."

Zayn picked up his cup, still burning to the touch but sipped at it.

Liam glanced to the bed, "So, your roommate? He the one who ran off this morning?"

"Yeah. We just got into a little heated conversation, he'll be okay. He'll come back down."

"And if he doesn't?"

Zayn scoffed, "He's _Lou_. We're best mates, we'll always come back to each other." His smile wavered, what if Louis didn't come back down to the room? What if he was really angry?"

Liam shrugged, "I don't know." He mumbled, "Some times friends have a bit of banter, but - that didn't seem like it."

Zayn scoffed again, rolling his eyes, "Whatever." He said, turning around to his cup of tea. "You don't know him like I do." His voice was a bit uneasy but he stuck beside his word. He barely knew Liam even, how could Liam know everything about him?

 

Liam stared at Zayn's back, hearing his heart falter in step only to catch up quicker. Worry dripping off of him, emotions mixed. He shoved himself deeper into the chair, keeping 'human' composure. Drinking away the rest of his tea, he put the cup aside, and looked over Zayn's back side. Down his neck, back, and legs before smirking to himself. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes, listening to the collective beats along the hallway.

 

Zayn's phone went off, as he scrolled through. He answered, holding it between his shoulder and cheek. "Hello?" He asked, drinking his tea.

"Zayn? Is this a bad time, or-." His mom's voice coming through the other end.

"No, no, it's alright. Didn't have any classes today, they're cancelled."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Zayn turned momentarily to look to Liam who's head was leaned back, his eyes closed in his chair then back to the bedside table. "What's going on?"

"I was just checking up to make sure you were alright."

"Yeah, I'm alright, mum." He smiled to her sigh on the other end, a sigh of relief.

"That's good, honey. That's good. How is Louis? Is he behaving?"

"Yeah, he's good too."

"Is he with you?" She asked, moving about the kitchen as he went.

"No. He's with a friend right now, we had a bit of an argument."

"Oh." She sounded worried again. "Zayn-."

"I know, mum. Everything's going to be alright, I'm going to have a chat with him after. We're still friends."

"I hope so." She mumbled, silence walked into the room and whispered into the phone. "I miss you."

He paused, his head slowly looking down to his tea cup and sloshed the cup a bit. "I miss you too." He said. "This place isn't the same as home."

Liam opened his eyes, watching Zayn's slight sway.

"I have to do my own laundry here, and I have to go out and get food at the court. I live with Louis, and you're not down the hall anymore."

"You can come home when ever you feel like, you know that, right?"

"I know, mum. It's already been a week." He looked to the ceiling, shaking his head. "Crazy, huh?"

"It is. A week with the whole house silent." She trailed off, "Your uncle came by just yesterday."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, he said he'd have things to send you. An early Christmas gift, he'd said." She laughed a bit.

He smiled, "I'll go down to the main desk, and see if he brought it in when he does." He sipped his tea, "Have you gotten the neighbor's help yet on the room?"

"No. I think I'm going to keep it the way it is. Just incase you do come back."

They spoken about what would happen to Zayn's room when he left to college, and hopefully soon after, then to his own flat. They were iffy about it, but Zayn wouldn't have minded if she changed it to her own room. A studio or another open room for her reading and creative side.

He nodded, "What about the pet then?"

"I haven't thought about anything much, since you've gone. I've just been waking up, and doing everything but thinking."

"Not moping around, I hope." He scoffed, putting his cup down and turning to Louis' bed, absently fixing the pillow.

"I'm allowed to be sad once in my life time." She demanded.

"Not while I'm away."

"Well, anyways, a few of your cousin's called me. Told me to give them your number, guess they didn't have time enough to have your number from me."

"Yeah, hold on, a moment." He said, unplugging his phone and moving across the room to the desk. He pointed to the book, "Give me that, please." He mumbled to Liam, and Liam grabbed the book. "Thank you."

Liam watched him again, who's to say he never looked away.

"What's the number?"

"Jawaad called first, he said you'd better have visited him in the next month."

"What if I'm busy in class?" He asked, holding his arms out with a frown.

"Oh, you wouldn't be that busy. Believe me, there's a lot of down time. Speaking of which, any down time you've been sparing with some one?"

"Mum." He whined, glancing to Liam who's finger tips were pressed together in a stipple and a smile behind them.

"What's I can't ask if my son's gotten into a relationship or not? I thought we were best friends."

"Look, mom. I would appreciate that we didn't speak about this, and that I'd have those numbers. I have someone here, waiting." Zayn shook his head, facing Liam but didn't look to him.

"Some one? Louis? Or someone _new_? Girl or boy?"

"Mum." He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Let me talk to them."

"If I do, will you not embarrass me? Please."

"Just do it."

Zayn sighed, closing his eyes as he held out the phone. Liam stood slowly, reaching for the phone before stopping there, and pressed the phone to his ear. "Hello."

"Oh, hello." Her voice was lighter, "It's a guy." She mumbled.

Liam smiled to Zayn, "I am. Yeah."

She laughed, "How are you?"

"I'm good, and you?"

"A little lonely, but Zayn here always makes me feel like I'm not alone." She paused, "How is he? Is he happy?"

Liam stared at Zayn, the anticipation of not knowing what his mother was saying to Liam was pealing him away. "Just about."

"And he's healthy? Eating the courses, and staying out of those parties? Those parties are unsafe for him."

"He's in good hands here." Liam smirked, "I can't reassure you that."

"Thank you for that." She smiled on the other end, "From a mother, on the down low, is he seeing anyone?"

"What is she saying?" Zayn mouthed, staring at Liam's unchanging expressions.

"You know, Ms., I don't know." Liam smiled, "But I do think there's maybe one or two worth looking through."

"I'll just have to have a talk with him. See what's going through his head." She laughed, "What's your name? I never got it."

"Liam."

" _Liam_ , I'm Zayn's mum. Patricia. Most people just go ahead, and call me ' _Mum_ '."

"The way he's grown, I can see why people do that. You've got a good nature."

Zayn pointed, "Don't go flirting on my mum."

Liam side stepped away from him.

"Well, thank you. That's very sweet of you. I can trust you to watch our for my son, can I?"

"Believe me," he smirked, "I would help him if he's neck were on the line." He joked.

"I'll have your word on that." She sighed, "I better get going then, got some things to tidy up, and get to. I'll message Zayn the numbers soon after."

"Alright, have a wonderful day and be safe - this world's not safe enough."

"You're right about that." She laughed, "Bye, love."

"Bye." He listen for the call to click, and held the phone back out to Zayn.

Zayn stared down at it, "What'd she say?"

Liam shrugged, "Be safe." He mumbled, "make sure to be healthy."

Zayn nodded, "I didn't get the numbers."

"She'll text you them."

"Alright." Zayn turned, putting his phone on the charger and having his phone ring with messages.

Liam's eyes flickered over Zayn's neck.

"You know, I'm proud of my mum for many things, but she's always making jokes."

"She's just proud of you as well." Liam stepped closer, hovering nearer.

"Maybe, she has a funny way of showing it." He hiccupped a laugh, scribbling down the number on his phone into the notebook. "She's always been that way. Guess I never noticed until now."

Liam stopped behind Zayn's feet, his breath falling down his shoulder and neck. "Maybe."

 

Zayn grew stiff, turning his head to look to Liam inches from his face. Liam's breath waved into Zayn's face, and seized back only to appear again. His heart pounded in his chest as he could feel the slightest amount of heat bounce back at him, and he could feel the nip of Liam's hands against his arm. He's was at a loss of breath. Liam listened to the rush of blood, and adrenaline ran through him like a pack of wild animals for meat. Epinephrine over dosing in him, and he could feel his muscles turn almost stone-like. His hypothalamus transmitted lightning fast signals to his spine rocketing like a fire cracker, his kidneys firing with ATCH. His hand slithered onto Zayn's side, nails digging down against his shirt, and Liam's lung expanded again as he scooped up Zayn's scent.

 

"Zayn." There was knocking, "Zayn, you in there? I left my keys on the rack." _Louis_.

Zayn looked to the door suddenly, and Liam's crowding figure wasn't behind him any more. He grabbed his jacket off the rack, and opened the door.

"Zay-. Who the-?"

Liam pushed past Louis, shoving shoulders into him and heading towards the end of the hall.

Louis looked down the hall, and then to Zayn. "You-?" He laughed, "Hold up," he closed the door behind him, "I'm gone for a while and you're already in the room with him?"

Zayn rolled his eyes, "That's not what happened." He closed the book, pocketing the pen.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your sexy times." He joked, with a laugh.

"I hate you."

"Noted," he mumbled, "Harry came back for a while, and kicked me out. So I had to come back to this place, oh, and you." He jokingly shot.

"How fitting of him." Zayn tidied the cups together.

"He actually kicked me out as well, a kick like that." He frowned, "I'll be feeling it for days."

"At least you got some action from him." He snickered, washing out the cups.

"Ha. Ha." He dead panned. "Out of the bathroom, I need a shower." He pushed Zayn aside in the door way.

"Don't take all of the hot water."

"Too bad." Louis closed the door with a slam. It opened a moment later, "Did you use my tea cups?"

Zayn stared, "Yeah."

He huffed, "Then that door slam wasn't loud enough to symbolize my hate for other people's lips on my cups." He moved from the door, reeling it back before giving it a swing, and it slammed so much for the whole bedroom floor to wobble and Zayn's ears popped. "That'll do!" Louis yelled on the other side of the door, the water starting for the shower.

 

Zayn shook his head, putting his notebook back on the desk and sunk into the chair. The air still vibrated with the very sense and smell of Liam, musk and yet softener for the laundry he'd done only once in the basement in the dorm building. He closed his eyes and hung his head back, scratching his hands down his face and looked back around the room to the quiet hum of Louis in the shower, and the water running. Zayn stood still momentarily before itching his side, and wincing. He tugged his shirt sideways, seeing the tint of pink seeping through it. He scrambled to his feet, lifting his shirt, and stared to the nail points jabbed into his side. His fingertips traced the half moons of them, light blood dabbing through the cuts, expanded along his ribs. Slowly he dropped the shirt and he drowned out the sounds of Louis' shower singing, the wiggle of the window panels, and the people passing.

 

 _This was accidental, this was just a game played too rough_. He thought. _This was territorial misunderstandings, the rush of the moment, this was -._

 

_Liam._


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here. I was starting to think that I should put up a schedule for posting things. I post things at random and that probably gets a little annoying, so I'll make up a schedule. Every Monday, I will try, if not Monday then Tuesday, I will update a new chapter or chapters. Around the time I come out is 3, but I don't get on just after school. So, let's say Monday, around 6-9 eastern time (my time zone). Guess that's good. So, yeah, hope you enjoy this chapter and the chapters to come. Remember that you're important and loved. Contact me on my instagram (who_not_larry) if you want a friend. :) -Ayh

"Greece. 200 BC."

The classroom held silent.

"In the Vatican city, in the Vatican Museums, holds one of the most remember-able statue to be. _Laocoon and His Sons_." The history teacher went on. Interest and lightness in his voice. "The story of Laocoon comes from the Trojan Wars, but not mentioned by Homer himself. Laocoon was a priest of Poseidon who was killed, along with both his sons, Antiphantes and Thymbraeus, for trying to expose the Trojan Horse. In Sophocles' version, a creator of _Antigone_ , another great tragic play, Laocoon was a priest of Apollo who never married. Serpents sent by Poseidon killed his sons, leaving Laocoon to suffer alone. Both either for Laocoon being punished for being right or doing wrong."

Zayn leaned on his fist, trying to keep his head up.

"This statue had been given the title of " _the prototypical icon of human agony_ ". Laocoon is contorted and muscles flexed as he shows signs of struggle. his sons have faces of worry as well as his own, every part of their bodies' strained."

Some students even yawned in class.

"For the very first time, the Greeks had created an imitation of life. Forever. In a generation, though - the Greeks stopped. Abandoning the idea of humane statues. Anyone know why?" He looked around the room.

No.

"Many believed the stop was because of the statues being too realistic. In cultures, " _the principle of exaggeration_ " as in which the people would not notice said thing, if it'd be too realistic. The Greeks saw their statues, at first, as boring. They weren't intrigued by it, by the look of a realistic statue made out of marble. In 450 bc, _Polykleitos_ , one of the greatest and remembered scultpure who'd had lived from around the 480's to 430's, found a series of theoretical lines through the body in which had expression of movement. He found angles and sides of the body that became a note of physical perfection in an athletic man, divided into four sections. This strived the Greeks to finally move, and decide that they wanted to continue with these beautiful, realistic statues. But the instinct to over exaggerate things was very much alive."

The bell rang.

"That'll be all for today's class, I hope you've all got important notes on this." He called, turning for his desk.

Zayn packed his notebook away.

"What a bust, huh?" Eleanor came beside him, "I almost fell asleep."

He laughed, "Same here." He smiled, putting his bag on his shoulder. "I got through ten minutes of Greece, and him talking, he's a great teacher and all, but I just didn't get enough sleep last night I guess."

"What? Roommate keeping you up?"

"No. There's this draft in my window, can't seem to get warm anymore now that Autumn's starting to take it's toll."

"Have you gone to the front desk about it?"

"Yeah, they haven't gotten back to me on it. Guess I'll just have to ask them again."

"Yeah, wouldn't want you sick and missing out on a day of class." She nudged his arm, and stifled a little laugh when he playfully glared at her. They started for the class doors, and down the emptying halls. "So, how is everything?" She zipped up her jacket, shuffling closer to Zayn once they'd stepped out of the building.

"Everything's good. Roommate's a pain in my arse, but I'm doing just fine."

"And the project? It's due next Thursday." She remarked.

"I'm just about finished, just adding some things, fixing some marks here and there."

She nodded, "I'm just about half finished." She nervously laughed, "I just cant get the fountain to land lightly enough to the ground below it."

"That's me with people. When I draw their heads first, I can never put them on the floor line because they've either got shorter legs or a smaller torso." He quipped, "Don't feel bad if it doesn't come out the right way, this is just to see how we do. Right?"

"You're right." She shook her head, "Why are you always right?"

"My mum taught me everything."

"Your mum? How is she?"

"She's doing alright, she's always worrying I'll go to one of those parties they have in the dorm in front of us." Zayn shook his head.

"My mum's the same. But she only warns me about the weirdo's running up and down the halls at night." She laughed, and he smiled. "Hey, do you want to maybe catch up and go to a café off of campus? I think I need a breath of fresh air, instead of books and paper all the time." She joked.

"Uh, sure. Know any good places?"

"Z! My man!" A voice muttered, throwing a violent arm around his shoulder and giving him a shake. "You couldn't escape me if you could." He laughed.

"Lou! Get off!" Zayn flustered, swatting at Louis' arms.

"Calm down, mate." Louis laughed, looking to Eleanor. "And who is this? An admirer of Zayn's?" He beamed.

"This is Eleanor, Eleanor this is my roommate Louis."

She held out her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet the man behind the drawing." She smiled widely, her eyelashes fluttering. "I'm Eleanor Calder."

He shook her hand lightly, "Louis Tomlinson. Hi." He pressed a smile, "So," he shoved his hands in his jean jacket, "What were we talking about?"

"Nothing." Zayn huffed.

Eleanor smiled, "I was just asking Zayn if he'd like to go off campus for a little café some time."

"Alright, Zayn, already making the move." Louis teased, patting Zayn's shoulder. "Mind if I join? Have to make sure my mate Z here behaves well." He joked.

Zayn punched his arm, giving him a rough limp arm for the while being. He smiled back to Eleanor, "Excuse him, he's off his meds."

Eleanor laughed, "You've been friends for a while?"

"Longer than life itself." Louis smirked, "Me and Z here were the same molecule of an atom a long time ago, that's why I just can't stand to be away from him."

Zayn scoffed, "I beg to differ." He stared.

He smirked, lips pressed out. "Any who, have fun on the little play date. Call me if we're planning on having it." He waved to Eleanor, and patted Zayn's arm before he could get the chance to punch Louis again and walked off with a sharp smirk and prideful skip to his step.

Eleanor laughed, "I didn't know he was cute, and teasing."

"Oh, no, Louis is anything but cute. The opposite." Zayn commented, turning back to Eleanor and waving his hands.

"I don't know, I think he has a sort of smart way of speaking. He's handsome."

"Handsome?" He mocked.

"Hey, I'm allowed to have my opinion." She curled her hair around her finger.

"Please, don't try gaining any sort of attention from him. He's nothing but good news."

"Noted." She lied, "What's today's lunch?" She asked, changing direction for the food court.

"Not chicken, I hope. I feel like last time mine wasn't so dead."

 

____________

 

 "I'm just saying, we should be able to go out more than an hour." Niall mumbled, his leaning his elbows on the table at dinner.

"I second that." Harry tipped his fork up.

"Of course, you would." Louis said under his breath, sitting across from him. Zayn to his side.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Speak up." Harry cupped a hand to his ear in a cocky, playful way.

"Don't start." Zayn huffed, scooping up his soup.

"You two are always finding something to bicker about, could we all just have a civilized conversation without the arguing?" Niall said, and the table went quiet.

Zayn looked around the table, guess all they ever did was argue.

Niall hummed, "Zen, did you get that window problem fixed?"

"No." Louis quipped, "And it's freakin' freezing. Why'd we get lodged with the horrible room?" He huffed. "I'm going to be sick by the end of the week."

"It's not like that'll ever stop you from going to class." Zayn mumbled.

"He goes to class?" Harry taunted.

Louis deadpanned, "Ha. Ha. Very funny. Attack the oldest one, real funny."

Niall laughed, and Zayn shook his head. "Any one have plans for the week end?"

"Nope." Harry mumbled.

"Heard there was a party going on in the dorm across ours." Louis wiggled his eyebrows. "What fun would that be."

"I thought campus said we couldn't have parties?" Harry questioned.

"Well, Harold, keep up with the revolution. There's been parties since the beginning of the year, you just weren't out there enough to hear about them." Louis smirked, leaning forward.

Harry followed him with his eyes, "And you have?"

"Uh, well-."

"Keep dreaming Lou." Niall joked, and Harry smiled looking down at his tray and back up to Louis. "Hey, any one heard about the accident on campus yet?"

They quickly became hush-hush, "I heard that it wasn't a suicide." Louis leaned in, this was news to Zayn. "Some one on campus killed her."

"Killed her?" Harry frowned, "I heard it was an accident."

"No accident like that could happen, Harold. I heard around that some one got pictures of the scene when the police were too busy trying to get her into the ambulance." Louis added.

"Wasn't her name some thing like - Audrey?"

"Don't know. I think it was, like, Amber or something. She was supposedly missing but no one noticed, just her roommate started asking around about whether or not she was on campus. The news about her missing didn't come out until she was reported dead."

"Wait, wait. Where'd you hear all this?" Zayn asked.

"From some kid, the one who'd old friends with the school's player."

"Speaking of which," Harry mumbled, "In comes trouble."

 

They all turned to the entrance, Liam walking in with the same guy from days before in the cafeteria. Zayn felt his chest gape, for some reason he couldn't help but feel - jealous. Who was Zayn to be jealous of some one who got into a relationship as easily as getting out of one? Or that Liam was the center of attention and people always had his name in their mouths, regardless of it being good or bad news? Or that Liam's self esteem and confidence was so high, it skyrocketed past their solar system? Why would Zayn be jealous of a confident, smart, and sophisticated guy like Liam? Nothing, _right_?

 

Liam walked along the room like all the lights were dancing on him, eyes darting to him like cameras on a live show. He adorned in attention, sitting down at a table far from sight.

"Can you believe that guy? Just when he dumped some girl, he pulls out another back up replacement?" Louis shook his head.

Niall scoffed, "There's no downfall to that guy."

"Maybe we could rub up some dirt on him. Use his ex to drag down his reputation." Harry took a bite of his sandwich.

"Harold, what is this new tone we're hearing of?" Louis cocked an eyebrow up, "I never knew you were so bad."

"I'm more than you know." He keened, a smirk on his lips.

Louis smirked, "And when could I get to know you about more? Hm?"

"Whenever you two aren't fighting, I feel like you're sucking face."

"We've got a love-hate relationship, eh Harold?"

"What's there to love?"

"And we're back again." Niall rolled his eyes, eating his food.

 

Zayn glanced around the group and back to the disappearing groups, the tables emptying as Liam came into sight. His arms were leaned on the table, silent and stone faced. His 'boyfriend' sitting beside him, talking while it looked like Liam was nothing but annoyed. Liam didn't even glance over to him, but when Zayn turned - his eyes twitched over to Zayn, and stood there. A smile slowly creeping on Liam's face, and it turned into a smirk. The dull look in his eyes sparking, and he leaned back from his seat - giving Zayn all the attention suddenly.

 

Dragging his eyes down, Zayn looked to the table then back again. Liam never looked away, the smirk pointing his sharp face, and his dark eyes vibrant. Zayn was at a loss for words, at a loss for motion, every thing frozen in him. His mind went over the time in the room, when Liam had spoke with his mom like he knew she were a saint. Or how his voice was so light, or how the smell of Liam consumed him when he was standing so close he could practically taste it on his tongue.

 

Liam turned his eyes from Zayn, his smirk never leaving as he looked to his boyfriend beside him. Zayn lost all connections. Turning his head forward towards the group who'd continued talking without his participation, and he was lost in his head again. Every time he'd moved, he'd remembered the burn in his side. The patched indents he'd kept hidden from Louis, he kept hidden from the world. Liam seemed kind, - but Zayn could tell that to every kind thing Liam would do or say, there was another block of something hidden away in the back of his mind.

 

Liam's demeanor, Zayn thought, was wrong.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update day!! Yay! :D I almost forgot but I needed to check this place anyways! :D So, here's the chapter. I know that a few readers probably didn't notice the update notice but I post every Monday of every week now, since I was updating whenever and I wanted to create a little scheduled update, and normally at night in Eastern Time. I hope that every one had a happy Thanksgiving, for those who celebrate it, and that every one has been having a wonderful week and day. :) I know updating every Monday doesn't give me enough time as I did before to post these stupid little Author Notes but, you know, I'm quirky and wacky like that. Always wanting to make people smile, if that's alright by you guys. So, no more to be said, I hope you enjoy the chapters, I'm posting two for your horrendous wait. Remember that you are always important and that you are loved. :) Find me @who_not_larry on Instagram, if you want a friend or just are bored. I'm most likely always free. Enjoy! :) -Ayh

It was an expected morning in Hell when the university's picture was on the front page.

 

"This is insane." Niall said, throwing down the newspaper. They all sat around a table in the library, all on a little study binge since classes were cancelled again due to the police investigating the school and not wanting to interrupt school hours or classes.

"You're telling us." Harry leaned on his hand, "Three days, and this is still going on."

"Well, some thing like a murder doesn't just disappear Harold." Louis rolled his eyes, "There's some one among us who's the killer, you watch. The person you least expect is the murderer." He looked around the table, "Harold, would you like the speak up about some sins?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"I don't know, I'm thinking about another murder right now and I might be looking at the victim." He glared at Louis, his cheeks sucked in.

"Shut up, both of you." Niall looked at the newspaper again. "At least some one got the story out."

"We didn't expect it to get out to the London Newspaper." Zayn said, grabbing it. "This is insane." He mumbled.

"Do you think they're asking around? For suspects, you know?" Harry asked.

"Maybe, that's probably why we saw a few officers down at the main office." Niall pointed.

"They could've been there for any reason." Louis shrugged.

"Really? A murder goes on, and you wouldn't suspect to check the main office of the dorms to check if any one's been in or out of the building or campus on the same day of the murder?" Harry questioned.

Niall stared, "That's true. Harry, when did you become so smart about detective work?"

"I watched a little too much crime shows, besides, when some thing goes missing you have to think theoretical as to where you put it."

The group went silent to Harry's words, and every one focused on Harry.

"What?"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Niall looked to Louis.

"We kill Harold?" He joked, and Harry glared.

"If you're thinking about going out on that scene," Niall's smile grew to Zayn's words, "No, no, and no." He shook his head.

"I agree, we could get in trouble." Harry leaned down low to the table, whispering now. "This could damage our administration to the school."

"Last time I checked, we're already in the school." Louis leaned down as well, every one suddenly becoming hush-hush and low. "What good could we do sitting around when we have a live crime scene feet away from our school?"

"I think this could give us the news on anything that's going on, you know," Niall swayed his hand on the table, "Get the news first, and then report it back to the uni kids. I know every one is just on edge about everything."

"And you think by finding out what happened would make them calm?" Zayn hushed, "I say no to this, we're going to get in trouble and it's not a good idea. We're not made to be in center action."

"Come on Z, cool it already? When ever there's an opportunity to some thing great, you back off. You need to be in on this, or just leave already." Louis threatened.

Zayn stared, eyebrows furrowed.

"He's a bit right Zen, once or twice you've got to go head first into a situation. I think this one is the big one, the one that could make every one feel safe. Everyone in the uni is on edge, and they're trying to find a way to be anchored. If we find the good news, and report back to them, problem solved - we've got the key to keeping the university intact, Who knows? Maybe this could make us known around here as well."

"That I call for." Louis pointed, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm in."

"Same here." Niall called.

Harry and Zayn stared at each other.

Harry slowly shrugged, "I guess it wouldn't hurt if it were to make every one feel safe?" He pressed his lips together, facing his palms up in question. "If anything goes bad, the moment it goes bad, we step out of it and forget this ever happened." He reassured.

"Right." The agreeing two said.

"And if anything were to go wrong, the second some thing falls out of place, we go back to the way it was. Go to classes, and never hear a peep from us again." Niall opted.

Harry looked to Zayn again, with a shrug, "If you're in?"

 

Zayn thought about it for a moment. They could get kicked off campus for snooping around an official crime scene, and actual crime scene where some one was killed. Some one died on campus and they thought it'd be better to step foot onto the evidence and have a look at it? They were crazy to think that he were up for something as illegal as that, and the things that would follow. This was going to chaotic, and metaphorically a shit storm.

 

Every one's eyes still remained on Zayn, and he looked around to the three puppy eyed adults.

"If anything happens, you forced me into this." He jabbed his finger at Niall and Louis.

They all sat back in their seats, letting out sighs of relief.

They all suddenly looked to each other, and Niall surged forward, leaning down low again whispering. "What do we do exactly?"

They all went back in again, "I thought we'd go with the flow." Louis said.

"No one goes with the flow, have you seen any detective ever just 'go with it'?" Harry shook his head.

"Well, what do we start with then?"

"I don't know." Harry exasperated.

Every one went silent, eyes slowly crawling up to Zayn. Zayn looked frantic to them, "What?"

"What do you think we should do?"

Zayn shrugged, "I don't know." He said casually. "You came up with the plan."

"Yeah, but we're a team," Louis circled the table, "We all equally have to add into the plan."

Zayn shrugged slowly. "Maybe - ask around? One girl went missing, obviously there has to be a roommate without an actual roommate."

Every looked to each other, "Zayn's onto something."

"He is. A good plan to start with." Louis said, "Which dorm do we start in first?"

"Since we know our floor, maybe we should start with out dorm." Niall said, Harry with a nod.

"Cut the floors in half, meet in the middle, and then we call it even for the next dorm too." Louis said, and every one agreed. Well, mostly every one. Zayn slowly eased away from speaking again.

"When do we start?" Harry asked.

"Tomorrow, but we have to just ask simple questions. Not anything that some one would suspect we're snooping around. Not too many questions but just enough to get the information."

"People might connect the dots though," Louis said, "Do we ask every person where some one else would know more? Like some one who might know more, then ask them if they know some one?"

"That sounds smart, coming from you." Harry said surprised.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Felt like it ." Louis turned back to the ground. "So, tomorrow morning we meet up at our room?"

"Sounds like a plan." Niall leaned back, rounding up his things. "Lunch is coming around, I'm getting the first shift." He said, throwing his things in his bag.

"I'll text you later." Louis said, and Niall nodded as he packed up his things as well.

"I'm heading back to the dorm," he threw his bag over his shoulder, "Zayn? Text you later?"

"Yeah." Zayn smiled lightly, and watched him go off.

Louis stared too. Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he stood quickly. "Looks like my cue." He smiled, "I'm going back to the dorms. See you second shift lunch?"

Zayn nodded, "Yeah, I'm just going to finish up here. I have some class notes to clear up."

"Alright." Louis said, patting his shoulder and turning. "Harold, wait up!" He yelled, regardless of the library.

 

Zayn plopped his ear buds in his ears, and flipped through his notebook. He'd taken notes on Laocoon and His Sons and even went further into it to know a bit more about the story in both perspectives of Sophocles and Homer, but now the History teacher made them go off on their our trying to find the early art movement periods of the Renaissance and Neoclassicism. The Renaissance was like Michelangelo, the famous David statue a big part of humanism, in which the Greeks had said " _man was a new measure of everything_ ". That was a load of bullshit.

 

Getting up, he wandered along the aisles of the library. His eyes skid over the books of the art section, slowly as he went. He'd be there forever searching if he had some where to go by the end of the hour, true, he had lunch to get to but he could just take the last shift and suffer a table alone or just take his food up to the dorm rooms. Silently he went along, his ear buds playing music lowly, as he passed a few people on the way to the direct bookshelf he'd been searching for. Labels of everything but what he needed, and he paused in the aisle. An open spot in the book shelf stared back at him, some one took out a book.

 

"Needing this?"

He looked up.

Liam stood there, a jean jacket on this time, white shirt under with black pants and his boots. The book he had read 'History of Renaissance Art', the hard cover dancing in his hands. He smirked, "I'll trade ya'."

Zayn plucked his ear buds out, and smiled. "Hi, didn't know you were in here."

"It's a big place, you get a little lost if you don't know your way." He said, holding out the book. "Here, I'm sure you need it more than me."

Zayn took it, "Thanks." He smiled, "Did you already take notes on it?"

"Notes? No. I didn't write any notes at all."

Zayn quirked an eyebrows confused, "You didn't? What'd you do all class then?"

"Slept." He scoffed.

He nodded slowly, "Oh. I could've done that."

"But you didn't."

Zayn pressed his lips together, "That Is true." He shied away. "Why'd you have the book then?" He asked.

"I was just a bit curious."

"On what?"

"Michelangelo." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, "They call him amazing for sculpting such humanistic sculptures, for capturing the human form in marble and stone, a different mind set, - but no one asked about his father's disapproval of him painting, or why his mother died when he was six." He swayed, eyebrows furrowed.

"I thought you said you don't write notes." Zayn joked.

Liam smiled, "I don't like writing things, it leaves behind notes and thoughts that I'd rather keep inside my head."

Zayn nodded, "You sound like a better thinker than a writer anyways." He smiled back.

"I try."

He nodded again, "Well," he patted the book, "Better get back to the table." He stepped back, "Thanks for the book."

Liam nodded, "Oh, hey," he went into step with Zayn, "doing anything tomorrow?"

Zayn's mind froze a moment before coming to a train crash. The boys. "Uh, yeah. I actually have this - thing, meet up, sort of thing, with a couple of friends."

"Oh, alright. I was figuring that if you didn't we could check off campus and find some place out of here," he looked around, "I'm starting to get sick of the same surroundings." He said, a grumble in his voice.

Zayn couldn't help but feel bad. "Well," he trailed off, "It won't be all day-."

"So, we'll hang out after?"

Zayn opened his mouth, already starting to shrug his shoulders when Liam's arm came around his neck, and pulled his head down running his knuckles against the top of his head playfully.

"That'a boy." He laughed.

Zayn laughed, batting at Liam's arm and stepped to the side patting down his hair.

"We should head out around, say, seven?" Liam said, already heading backwards towards the door.

"But we won't have any daylight if we go out at seven."

"Don't worry," something ticked in Liam, a smirk on his lips, "I'll keep you safe out there." He waved, his stare sharp as he reached for the door. "See you then."

Zayn waved, his heart thumping in his chest. Hang out with Liam? At seven?

 

Zayn watched Liam turn, opening the door but the same time he opened the door someone was pulling it open and Liam froze in the door. The girl opening it met his glare and instantly it became a hostile area, Zayn could see the tense rising in Liam and the hate burning in the girl's eyes. The girl - was the same who'd spoken with them at the scene. Perrie. Perrie pushed past Liam, making sure to snare at him and never let her eyes drop from him as she went. Liam's eyes burned into Perrie's, cutting her up alive. His eyes glanced over to Zayn, eating up the entire mental fight, and Perrie's eyes met Zayn standing by his table.

 

Both stared at him, the remains of the glare fading when Zayn looked to both of them. Liam pushed the door open, and left as Perrie turned the corner of a bookshelf in the library. Zayn glanced to the spots, and down to his table confused. Never had he seen so much hate between two people, let alone people who probably had been fighting since primary or secondary school it seemed. He just shrugged it off, packing up his things, and headed over to the second shift of lunch meeting up with Louis and Harry on the way.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy these updates and I will be updating next Monday, or Tuesday if I miss the Monday. You're loved and always important. :) -Ayh

"Are you sure?" Niall asked, listening to the student from the cracked open doorway. "Alright, thanks." He waved to them, and looked back at Zayn. "This way."

"Who now?" Zayn asked lowly, walking side by side with him through the tight halls.

"Some girl down the hall, room 719. She was roommates with the girl supposedly."

They stepped before the door, looking up at the number above the door. "What if she's not even there?"

Niall shrugged, "I don't know, we'll come back after dinner or something."

Zayn looked down the halls, "I still don't think this is a good idea."

"Zen, come on." He knocked his fist against his arm, "We've been at this since lunch, and if we don't ask around now - then we'll have to do this again tomorrow. And maybe by tomorrow, we've forgotten."

"I don't know." He huffed.

"Just stay behind me, like you've been doing." He deadpanned, knocking on the door, and they waited.

The door opened, the chain on the door as blue eyes looked out. Pink lips, and blonde hair, they stared back at the girl from the scene. "What?" She asked, voice annoyed.

"Hi, we were asking around and we were wondering if you'd answer a question of ours?" Niall asked.

"What are you? The police?" She scoffed. "I don't want what you're selling." She went to close the door, Niall pushed back against it.

"Just give us a minute to talk with you, it's about the suicide." Zayn said, leaning closer to the door.

Her eyes darted to him, trained on him, and never blinked. "You're asking about the suicide?"

He nodded, "Your her roommate, right?"

Perrie stared, "Was." She paused, "Look, it's none of your business'. Just stay out of trouble." She went to close the door again, and Niall pushed at it again. She clenched her teeth together, glaring at Niall.

"One minute." Niall said.

She glared at him.

"That's all we're asking for." Zayn added, and she looked to him. "One minute. Then you can shut the door on us."

She stood there, unmoving and never turning away from him. She backed up, and closed the door. Niall and Zayn looked to each other, both shrugged. She opened the door, and they turned their attention to her. She stared at them, "One minute, that's it." She stated, and Niall walked in with Zayn following.

 

The room was warmer than Zayn's and Louis', the bed on the further end was made, and nothing touched compared to the one that he assumed to be Perrie's. Perrie was dressed in a lavender sweater, and grey sweat pants, standing off to the side while the boy's eyes looked all over the place. Niall looked to the organized shelves of the bookshelf, and the room was assorted in a different way. Zayn looked to the desk, covered in books, and papers, the lamp on as a pencil stood strayed on a piece of lined paper. They must've stopped her from writing some notes.

 

"Do you mind if we sit?" Niall asked, moving along the room.

"Don't mess anything up." She mumbled, sitting on her bed, and Niall pulled the chair out from under the desk careful not to knock anything over.

Zayn stood next to him, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I'm Niall, this is Zen."

" _Zayn_." He pronounces, considering the word coming out of the Irish lad's mouth sounded like some thing to meditate with.

She looked to Niall, "On with it." She huffed.

Niall glanced up to Zayn, and then back to Perrie. "So, your roommate, -."

"You don't even know her name, do you?" Perrie squinted her eyes lightly, "You've been through these entire corridors and you haven't even picked up her name?"

"How do you know we've been through the floors?" Niall asked.

"You don't do thing secretively, that's for sure. And if you thought that was a secret, - everyone from every floor above us knows you're walking around asking about the accident. Even the other two who're wandering around in the next dorm."

Niall awkwardly laughed, "Man, things do sure travel quickly through the school."

"Obviously not names." Perrie said under her breath.

"What was her name?" Zayn asked, and she looked to him.

She sat up a little straighter, "Alicia."

He stared, "Alicia?" A little wide eyed.

Niall leaned back in the chair, giving it a squeak. "Was she hanging out with any one when that day?"

Perrie's eyes fell on Niall, irritated again. "Just her boyfriend, and friends."

"Who're her friends?"

She swatted her hand, "They're unimportant. Just a bunch of people who crowded around her because she was the life of the party and knew how to get things she wanted. They practically used her."

"Did you know her well?" Zayn asked, leaning back on the desk.

"Since secondary." She said, "Me and her were best friends, turns out that she found someone to occupy her time, and she spent most of her time out of this room. Didn't even show up to classes, didn't go to lunch all because she was logging out of the property to go somewhere."

Zayn nodded. "And you knew her since then?"

She nodded.

"So, you would have noticed if she changed?"

"Of course." Perrie stared as she explained, "It was day one on campus, and she didn't seem the same when she met a group of friends."

"Who?" Niall asked.

"Once again, unimportant pricks." She groaned. "They don't deserve a name but that."

"And her boyfriend?" Zayn asked. "You said she was hanging out with him?"

She grew defensive almost, "He's a no-good fuck, with nothing but a mentality of a Quoll."

"A -what?" Niall questioned.

Zayn swatted his hand at Niall, pushing the question away. Zayn looked to Perrie, "If there's anything to know, it's to ask the people who were around her the most." He said.

"They won't tell you anything." She said.

"Why not?"

"They have this thought in their head that they're the next ones on the list. Saying they made some big mistake to going to the pub, and coming here without her." She crossed her arms over her chest, "I called her, and she never picked up."

"Do you know if the authorities have her phone?"

"They've probably gotten everything." She sighed, looking to the two in the room. Silence was chilling, and she exhaled.

"Who was her boyfriend?" Niall asked.

She was quiet.

"Perrie, if any one could give us answers. It's him."

She looked to Zayn, and gave him a longing stare. He felt uneasy, like she were searching the back of his mind for something personal. She licked her lips, puckering them lightly. "He's that fuck - _Payne._ "

Zayn was knocked off his tempo, his breath skipped.

"Liam?" Niall asked, "Liam Payne? She was the first one he dated, and then dumped three days after?"

She nodded. "What I find cocky, is that three days, and they break up - I don't find her until the whole school finds out she's dead on school ground." She glared to no one, "Don't you find that strange."

Niall looked wide eyed, "Wait? Do you think - Liam could've done something like that? _Killed someone._ "

"Don't be an idiot." She growled, "I just hate the guy for who he is. Hoping person to person, and dumping them in a small span of time." She grimaced, "He's scum. Nothing but bad."

Zayn's heart was beating lightly in his ear, flickering in his neck. "When you said Alicia -," he stared, "What major did she want to take?"

She shrugged, "Art?"

Niall stood up, "That's with you, right?" Niall asked, and Perrie kept her stare on Zayn.

Zayn nodded slowly, "Yeah."

There was silence, then Niall's phone went off. "Lou's text me, we're heading back." He said, patting Zayn's arm. "Thanks for the information." Niall said, opening the door. "On with it, we've got to be quick or we'll miss the first shift of supper. Heard it's Sheppard's Pie." He coo'ed leaving the door.

Zayn moved to the door, grabbing the knob just as he was about to close it, Perrie grabbed the door, and Zayn's wrist on the knob. He turned, frantically.

Perrie's stare was trained into the very core of Zayn's eyes. "You hang around Liam, don't you?" She asked.

He was choked up, dead in her presence.

"Stay away from him, he's no good." She said, her hand tighter on his wrist. "He's an _animal._ " She said, putting so much force into the word.

Zayn's eyes glanced between hers, "He's just like everyone." He said, voice cracking.

She shook her head, "He's nothing but a monster." She pulled his hand back when he tried pulling it away, " _Lamia_ and _Lilith_. Look them up." She said, letting go of his wrist and he stepped into the hall.

Niall was holding the elevator doors open, "Come on you bugger, Lou says he's already down there with Harry." He waved Zayn over.

Zayn looked back to the door, where Perrie had closed it with a light slam and he hurried along the hall. He kept his head down as he went, a hand coming up to grab his arm and he almost felt his shoulder pop out of place. He turned his head, looking to his attacker.

Liam looked down at him, their eyes meeting, and Zayn felt his heart fluttering again. "Zayn." He smiled, "You ready to go?"

Zayn stared, "Oh-. Oh." He said, "I was just about to head down to supper with my friends-."

"You said me and you could hang out at seven." He smiled, "It's seven. - You're not running out on me, are you?"

"No, no, no. I thought we were going to hang out after supper." He said.

"Don't worry about it, I'll get you something out there." He said, waving it off.

"Zen, come on." Niall called from the elevator, his eyes met Liam.

Zayn looked down the hall to Niall, Liam following his gaze. "You go on." He called, "I'll meet up with you."

Niall glanced between the two, and then back to Zayn. He shook his head, and Zayn awkwardly smiled.

"I'll meet up with you." He repeated.

Niall stared at Liam, never moving from the elevator doors. And he took a step back, "Give me a call, if anything. Alright?"

Zayn nodded, holding up his thumb. "Yeah. See you tonight."

Niall's eyes fell back on Liam, as Liam's eyes looked over Zayn. Down his face, and settling in the scoop of his collarbones and neck. The doors closed.

Zayn turned back to Liam, and Liam smiled. "Ready?"

"Yep." Zayn said, pressing his lips together. "After you." He said, and Liam smiled back to him as he moved on ahead.

Zayn glanced back to Perrie's door, the words echoing through her head as he read them over and over again. He shook it off, quickly catching up with Liam at the elevator, and getting in beside him.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

Liam pressed the button down. "Somewhere I used to go, just when we started two weeks ago." He stared at the doors, hearing the gears shutter to start closing them.

"Will it be fun?"

Liam smirked, "You have no idea."

The doors closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliff hangers! Hate 'em. :D Anyways, remember, updating next Monday or Tuesday. Take care of yourself, you guys. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! As promised, another chapter posted Monday. This chapter didn't satisfy me, so I will be posting a chapter after this one. I'd really like to hear some feedback from the readers, and how you think things will go. I'd like to see what creative things people think of. So, yeah. Enjoy the chapters to come, and I hope you guys are alright. Remember that you're loved and important. :) -Ayh

Zayn laughed, his body leaning over the table as he held a chip dipped in cheese. They'd ordered a nachos, well - Liam did, and a beer bottle in Liam's hands as a soda can stood by Zayn. The place was crowded, the place was half a bar, and an entertainment place. A set up stage in the corner allowed people to do karaoke, and a stereo connected to a laptop played music for now. People swayed to the beat, in deep conversations over beer and food at their tables or the bar.

 

Liam smiled, watching Zayn's soft expression cease as he sat back and wiped the corner of his eyes. Zayn's smile never fell, "You know, I never had the time to appreciate going out when I was so busy."

"Why are you always busy?" Liam asked.

"Because," Zayn chewed a chip, "there's tests to do, and projects to finish off, notes to write down-."

"Why do you have to write down every note and ace every test?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I just want to do something important."

"There are more important things than school." Liam leaned on his elbows, the beer bottle never leaving his grip.

"Like what?" Zayn smiled, propping his chin on his hand.

Liam shrugged, "Other people."

He scoffed, "The only other people I have are Louis, Harry, and Niall."

"And me."

Zayn flushed, "We don't really talk."

"Yes we do." Liam said, "We're talking right now."

"On school grounds. We don't talk about school, or projects, -."

"Because I don't like talking about lame stuff like that."

"Then why'd you come to uni?"

Liam just smiled, "Because I knew I was going to come across people like you."

Zayn glanced down nervously, hands fiddling with a chip. "Like me? What am I like?"

Liam was the one to lean on his hand now, "You imagine a whole world up, and live there in your head. Thinking that everything's all rainbows, and sunshine, but then you also have those rain clouds in your head somewhere locked away for when you think you deserve the sadness." He went on, "You see the good in people, and even if there isn't any good in people - you make up an excuse for the people who run you over, and say it's alright." He looked down at Zayn's fiddling fingers, "You'll get yourself in trouble if you keep doing that. Making up excuses and lies to protect the people who don't deserve it."

When Liam's eyes fell over his, he couldn't meet his stare and looked down at the table. "And that's how you see me?"

"That's how you are."

Zayn gulped, "You're wrong." He lied.

"I'm not."

Zayn shook his head, "I don't make up excuses for people who use me-."

"But you do, even if you don't know it - you always are doing it. It's unconscious." Liam listened to the quickening beat of Zayn's heart from over the music and table. "If I'm offending you, I'm sorry for stating the truth."

Zayn gulped again, looking down at his food and not wanting to eat anymore. "It's alright." He put his hands in his lap, "I respect your opinion." He lied. He was offended, raging on the inside on how someone looked at him like he was so weak, and that he would do such a thing for someone who obviously didn't deserve his appreciation and attention. If someone were to use him and abuse his kindness, he'd do everything to cut them out of his life, no matter how important they'd become to him. He wasn't like that - he thought he wasn't.

Liam sat back, "I'm sorry." He said, "Obviously, I've ruined the night and said the wrong things."

Zayn shook his head, "No, we're just having a conversation. There are things to agree with and not agree with in a conversation."

"Really?" Liam said.

Zayn nodded, shoving on a smile. "I really appreciate that we came out here, I've actually never have been here before." He looked around.

Liam eyed his neck, and cleared his throat forcing his eyes up. "Yeah, I've always come here when I need a breath of air." He sipped his beer, "Or a _drink_ or two." He mumbled, gulping his beer.

Zayn looked back to him, "It's a nice place."

He smiled, "It is, isn't it?"

Zayn smiled, nodding back as he looked among the crowd around the table and at the bar.

Liam put down his beer bottle, and glanced to Zayn, leaning forward. "Why don't I get you a drink?" He smiled.

He shook his head, "No, I don't drink."

"Come on, it's alright. I won't make you chug a pint." He laughed, "One bottle." He said, "One, and we'll go back to uni."

Zayn pressed his lips together, shaking his head. "I shouldn't-."

"It's on me." Liam patted his arm, "Come on." He said, getting up from the table and pointed to the bar. "I'll be back." He said.

Zayn leaned back into the chair when Liam went to the bar, looking to the group of people stumbling out of the pub, and into the streets of London. Liam came back suddenly, plopping the bottle down in front of Zayn and sitting back in his chair. He lifted his bottle.

"Cheers." He smiled, as Zayn cupped the bottle.

He smiled nervously, holding up the bottle. "Cheers." He said, putting the bottle to his lips and taking a swig of it. It left a foul taste in his mouth, and dragged down his throat. He grimaced, and Liam laughed.

"You really don't drink." He said, drinking his own bottle, and finishing it off.

"My mum told me beer was the worst thing in the world, I can agree on that now." He said, putting the bottle down.

"Ah, ah. Come on, man up." Liam said, nudging the bottle his way. "What's wrong with having a little sour taste and happy feel after?"

"The after taste." Zayn said, holding the bottle again.

Liam scoffed, "Suck it up." He said, pointing to the bottle. "Down it." He smiled, scooping a chip into his mouth and looking to the crowd coming into the pub.

After the bottle was finished, and they'd sat a while longer, they were out of the pub and into the streets back to the car. Liam's car was a little boxed Jeep, a two door, hard top, painted black. It was actually quite roomy for the passenger and driver seat. Walking along, Zayn stumbled a moment before catching himself.

"You alright there?" Liam asked.

Zayn scoffed, "Yeah."

"Don't tell me after one bottle, you're already tipping."

Zayn shook his head, "I'm just a bit tired."

Liam walked beside him, "Better get you home then." He smiled down at Zayn, and he smiled back.

Walking to the passenger side first, Liam opened the door and Zayn stood there awkward. Liam had opened the door for him when they got into the car before, and held the door open for him, paid for his food and drink, and was polite to him all night. Liam wasn't what Perrie explained him to be. "Thanks." Zayn said, getting into the car and Liam closed the door after him.

 

Getting into the car, Liam pulled out of the parking spot and moved through the streets of London silently. The radio stood off, and the heating was on. Zayn rested his head against the frame, looking out of the window, with his seat belt strapping him in. Liam glanced over, hearing the lull of Zayn's breathing and steady beat of his heart. It was calm, but drove him insane. His throat was dry, and his mind was hotwired going a thousand miles an hour. He turned back to the road, and continued on their way to the university. Pulling into the parking lot, Liam stepped out and just as Zayn was opening his door, he pulled the door open wider and smiled to Zayn who unstrapped himself, and stepped out.

 

"Thanks." He said again, as Liam closed the door and they stood there a moment.

"You're welcome." Liam smiled.

He swayed, "I wanted to say thanks for tonight, I didn't know I needed a breath of air so much in my life."

"Always looking out for people."

"Yeah." Zayn smiled, "Thanks for that."

"You don't always have to say thanks for everything."

"Sorry. " He pressed his lips together.

"You say that a lot too. _Sorry._ Even when it's not your fault."

"Force of habit," he shook his head, "Always thinking I step over lines, and throw things about."

"You don't." Liam neared, "You always have this weight on your shoulders. You shouldn't blame yourself for things that aren't your fault."

"I don't."

Liam scoffed, "And here we are with the lying again."

Zayn clenched his jaw, taking a step to start walking.

Liam stopped him, putting a hand on the car in his way. "Hey, I was joking." Liam said, leaning into his sight. "I'm sorry. You're truthful, I'm just trying to get a little kick out of you." He put his hand on Zayn's back, right between his shoulders. "That's all I'm trying to do. To make you laugh. Is that alright?"

Zayn met his eyes, he was practically towering over him. He nodded, "That's alright." He mumbled lightly.

Liam nodded slowly, staring into his eyes. "Good." He said, hushed.

 

His hand on Zayn's back pressed into the heart beat there, and he closed his eyes leaning in. Zayn was taken off balance, back pressed against the car, and Liam plastered against him. Liam's lips pressed against Zayn's as he tried to get a jump start high off of Zayn's heart, and he _did._ Zayn's heart jack rabbited against his heart, beating in his neck, and his hands clenched at Liam's arms scooping themselves around Zayn's waist. Their lips started moving together, and Liam pressed open mouth kisses to Zayn's as Zayn consumed everything he was given.

 

His hands found the nape of Liam's neck, prying at the little hairs leading into Liam's hair and turned his head in the slightest ways. The air was cold against them, but with Liam towering over him he shielded away the wind from ever touching Zayn. Liam's hands roamed all inside Zayn's jacket, down his sides, and yanking his hips into Liam's. Zayn whined when Liam latched onto his bottom lip, and let it go with a nip. His lips travelled down Zayn's jaw, kissing and sucking at the defined jawline of his, and his lips danced over Zayn's pulse - and a low growl emitted from the deepest part of his chest.

 

Zayn's hands harshly balled up fists full of Liam's shirt, clinging close to his back, and leaned his neck back as he whined out when Liam's teeth bit down on his neck. He was flaming, over heating in his own skin, and Liam was there almost violently trapping him against his car and himself. His hands holding vice grips on his hips, and keeping Zayn in place. He opened his eyes, collecting his voice. "Liam." He said, Liam's teeth never breaking skin. "Liam."

Zayn could feel the stick of spit on his neck, Liam's breath huffed and puffed on his neck like he were running twenty miles before he'd ended up in front of Zayn.

"We should get inside." Zayn said, catching his own breath. His hands loosened from holding onto Liam's shirt. "It's late already."

 

Liam didn't say anything. Listening to the rush of blood, his body aching for blood, aching for the rush of adrenaline and chase of ecstasy that would dance over his tongue like rain in a drought. His teeth having left deep indents in Zayn's neck, but never piercing skin. Blood rushed to the surface, tempting him to just clench down and drink the life out of Zayn. Zayn was a sick drug that Liam was addicted to, no matter how hard he tried - he always found himself close to lunging at him, but letting him live because he wanted a tease out of life. Life was boring with out having something to chase after.

 

Zayn's hands pushed gently at Liam's sides, pulling them apart almost easily. "Let's get going-."

"Go to the dorm, Zayn."

Zayn stared. "Aren't you coming?"

Liam never lifted his eyes from the car reflection, "In a bit. Go to the dorms, and go to bed."

 

Zayn stared questioning Liam's demand, but he moved anyways. He moved along the cars, and over the grass onto the paths back to the still some what lit dorm buildings. He glanced behind him, seeing Liam still standing beside his car, now turned as he watched Zayn walk along and towards the buildings. Liam turned his eyes away from Zayn, even if he could still hear him, smell him, he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. His breath sped up, and he clenched his jaw biting back on the urge to scream out. He reeled back his hands, and growled - his fist collided with the car's window beside his. The alarm went off, and in the distance is shook Zayn. He turned back, looking to the parking lot and only seeing a hew of lamps as he was surrounded by the buildings of the dorms. Going up the steps and into the building, the main office was still open as the woman sat in her chair, flipping through her book.

 

He walked over, putting his name in the book, and flashed her his ID card. Being signed back in, he tread to the elevator and up to his floor. The keys jingled in his hands as he unlocked his room door, and closed it behind him. Hanging up his keys and jacket, he walked over to the desk flicking on the light. It was still dim but enough to see Louis was asleep in the bed, the clock in the corner reading twelve o'clock, and a half filled cup of tea crammed into the book shelf beside the tea kettle.

 

Zayn shook his head. He grabbed the cup, walking into the bathroom and emptying the tea into the sink. It was cold anyways. He ran the cup under water, and put it aside. Leaning on the sink, he rubbed his eyes. He looked in the mirror met by himself. His lips a darker shade of pink now, bitten and puffy. His jawline dotted with little bites, but the thing that knocked the breath out of Zayn was the big bite on his neck. Teeth indents looked painfully drawn into his neck, it was irritated, and bruising slowly. He reached up, touching the deepest indents and drew his hand back. The canine indents were deep enough to draw little blood. He looked into the mirror, worry drawn into his face.

 

He stripped himself of clothes quickly, closing the door with the lock on it, and turning the shower on. He ran it cold, rubbing off the warm feeling in his body. Wanting to get rid of every mark on his body, every kiss, and bite on him. He wanted it all off. In the shower, he searched frantically. Finding scratches along his hips, half moon indents of nails dug into his sides, and the padded scratches that were still healing from days before. He shook as he washed off the light blood, panicking when he'd find a new scratch on his back, or sides. Rubbing soap all over himself, feeling unclean, and scrubbing his neck but the indents never left. The scratches never stopped burning. The hickies didn't fade. And his heart never stopped racing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter posted after this. Yay! :D


	15. Chapter 15

Liam stood, his finger pressed to his lips, he was clenching down on his teeth so hard. The door opened, and before he could even say a word Liam was at him, pulling his face in, and kissing him hard. He coiled back, "Li, what's wrong?"

Liam reached out, bedded in a suffocating kiss drawing his chest against Liam's.

"Li." He said, putting his hands on Liam's shoulders, squeezing them.

He didn't pull back, falling down to the guy's neck, too lost in his head to remember his name, _Magnus_ , sucking bites into it.

"Li." He sighed, pulling back into the room. His arms still around Liam's neck, "What's wrong? What's got into you? Come in."

Liam pulled him back, pressing his forehead to his. His hands on his hips, leaning him against himself. "You'd do anything for me?" He asked.

He looked between his eyes, "Anything. Anything for you Li."

He kissed him again.

"What's wrong? What happened-?"

" _Love me_."

He stared into Liam's eyes, reeling back confused but still in Liam's arms. "What?"

Liam kissed his lips again, pulling him chest to chest. "Love me." He said, against his lips, biting them and pulling him impossibly closer.

 

He was at a loss for words. Being hauled back into his room, being brought off the floor, and secluded into the room with Liam. Magnus curled his fingers in Liam's hair, keeping his legs around Liam's waist as Liam soothed his hands over his thighs and moved towards the beds. Putting him down with a light plop, Liam pressed his hands on either side of his head. Surging down, he attacked his lips and had every means of pressure pushing down on Magnus. Their hips pressed down together, breathes seeping out of his lips, searching for air like he were drowning. Liam listening to the running heart beat racing in his neck, he could hear the switch of air, and - it wasn't enough.

 

His nails dug down on Magnus' side, and he could smell the faint metallic blood beating through. Liam kissed down his chest, and stomach, moving until he came to his side. He licked at the blood, his eyes closing, and Magnus' hand found his hair again. He puffed out breaths, soothing his fingers through Liam's hair. Liam's instinct radiated through him, the urge became overpowering. He opened his mouth, clenching down hard and blood drew to the surface. Magnus' grip turned violence, letting out a shout of pain as he kicked about. Liam detached from his side, lifting his face, and Magnus' rendered frozen in dead fear.

 

Liam's darted down, biting down on his neck and Magnus screamed out again. Liam holding down his wrists to the bed, as he sucked the blood from his neck. He chugged, and unclenched his mouth only to bite harder drawing more blood to the surface. He closed his eyes tight, feeling Magnus' hand limp in his hold. He didn't want to stop. Ripping himself away, he sat up, straddling Magnus as his weak eyes fluttered to stay open. Breaths sounding painful as they drew from his mouth, his entire neck painted red. Liam leaned down, licking over the bite, and licked the corners of his mouth where blood still dripped over his chin. He stared down at Magnus, licking his lips again.

 

Magnus inhaled, his tongue choking up his words. Liam leaned down, bracketing his arms on either side of his head. "The pain only lasts moments." He said, looking over the blood pooling against the sheets of the bed. He pressed the pad of his thumb against it, looking at it. "I know you'd rather me just leave you alone, but I want to just tell you this as a last minute, mono y mono, convo." He licked his thumb, cupping Magnus' lolling head. "People trust too easy." He said, "Using words is the most easiest thing, words could do anything. Persuade, opinionate," he smiled, " _lie_." His teeth danced with red. "I'll let you in on a secret," he leaned down, breathing in his ear and kissed his already blood stained lips to the bite.

Magnus still winced lightly.

"No one really cares about any one else." He smiled, "It's a series of trial and error. When one relationship doesn't go well, you move on, and find another. Trial and error, start and end." He licked his lips, "It's the same thing every day, with every one." He sighed into his neck, "It was fun while it lasted." He said, teething at Magnus' cheekbone. He smiled, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I'll let you go now, I have better things to do than play with left overs." He said, leaning down and latching onto his neck again.

 

Just when Magnus' eyes closed, Liam pulled off and sat back on his haunches. He licked his lips, gulping every single drop in his mouth, and sucked blood from his finger tips and stuck under his nails. He got off the bed, looking around the room absently before looking back to the still, dead form of Magnus. He pulled him up and laid him along the bed, putting the blanket over him, and his head on the pillow - he looked along the room, and looked to the book shelf. A book in it from the library caught his attention, plucking it out he scoffed. Dropping it from his hands and hitting the floor with a clatter, he opened the door of the room, and closed it behind him moving through the hallway.

 

The book read, _Scriptures of Delphi_ _._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo! Scary! :) I don't know, but I thought that I would maybe add some suspense to Liam as a character himself. You know, make his scary and actually the monster he's supposed to be. Eh, I guess it's alright. :D I'll post next Monday or Tuesday. :) Stay tuned, and comment something if you'd like.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! As promised, Monday has come and I've come with an update. I will update two chapters because I'm feeling special today. :D Tomorrow I'm going on a class trip to some car museum and I think it's going to be cool, :) I can't wait. We leave at eight, road for a good hour and a half, get to the museum, and just have fun, learn, and do something worth the while. It's been a while since I've enjoyed school so hopefully this puts some happiness in me about school again. :) I hope you enjoy the chapter, and that you have a wonderful day. I know that the boys are now on break, and I want to cry for that, but we can do this. 547 days until they come back, until we can get home again. We can do this. :) For the boys. I honestly can't wait to hear from Zayn soon hopefully, I hope he's well and healthy. I hope that all the boys are healthy, happy, and are looking forward to relaxing, having a big of alone time, having fun, and maybe getting in a new hobby. :) That'd be interesting. Anyways, enjoy the chapter and chapter to come. You are loved, and important - remember that. :) -Ayh

Zayn pulled his hoodie up around his neck for the millionth time that day.

"It's hard to put the facts together." Niall said.

"It's not that hard." Harry stated, "He befriends a girl, goes out with her for a few days, they go out for a drink, and she doesn't come back with the group. Next thing you know she's dead on campus. Simple." He said hushed, surrounded by people in the cafeteria minding their own business.

"Well explained." Louis mumbled, leaned back in his chair with his hands in his pockets.

"Thank you." Harry said, not giving him a glance.

Niall shook his head, "But do we know someone like," he leaned in whispering, " _Liam_ ," he leaned back out, "Would hurt someone?"

"We don't even know the guy to know if he's kind." Louis said. "Fact is, he was the last one she had ever seen. He looks like he's one to keep secrets. And a lot of them."

"Okay, so, what do we do? Report him to the police? We don't have much evidence for that." Niall said.

"If anything, we tell the police what we scooped up around the school, being 'good students and coming forward about the case'. Tell them every thing we've heard, all the people we heard it from, and then point fingers at Liam. Eventually they'll follow him, and hold him suspect. That would keep everyone safe, right?" Harry looked around the group.

"What if he's not the one who killed her?" Zayn said suddenly, and everyone looked at him.

"Why do you say that?"

He shrugged, feeling the sweater come down only to pull it back up seemingly naturally. "I don't know, what if we accidentally frame the wrong person?" He gulped.

"Why are you on his side all of a sudden?" Louis asked.

"I'm not."

"Then what's with the questions all of a sudden?"

"I just-," he bit the inside of his lip, "I just want to make sure that we have the right person, and we don't go around framing the wrong person. An innocent person."

Harry looked to the other two, "He's kind of right, we don't have physical proof."

Niall nodded, "What do we do? Follow him around and video tape him?"

"That's called violation of personal space, Niall." Harry said.

"Then what?" They turned to Zayn.

"What do you have to say?" Louis asked, "You brought this up, you think of something."

Zayn choked. "I was just putting a thought in."

"Well, your thought brought us right back to the start. What do you think we should do?"

Zayn nervously chewed the inside of his cheek, trying to think up something.

"Hey Zayn."

 

Their heads all could've suffered whip lash to how fast they moved to the sound of a voice behind Zayn, Zayn turned almost slowly. His heart hammering against his chest. Liam stood there, leather jacket, and all - a smirk on his lips as he looked around the group and stood a good foot behind Zayn. The smell of musk clouding off of him, cigarettes reeking off his skin. Zayn's heart raced twice as much, the bruised mark on his neck pulsing, thrumming to the rise and fall of his chest.

 

Liam's hand fell on the back of Zayn's chair, a smile wide on his lips as he stared down at Zayn.

"Liam." Zayn sighed. The name rolling off his tongue like liquor, intoxicating.

Liam's eyes never left Zayn's, but when he'd glanced up to the other staring three - he cleared his throat. "Seems like I interrupted something."

"Not at all." Louis sucked in his cheeks, cheekbones sharp.

"Oh, so you wouldn't mind if I joined you guys some time for lunch?"

The hearts around the table fluttered in panic, and Liam's smile never left.

"We're kind of a tight group." Louis said. "We only talk among ourselves." He scoffed, "We're just a close bunch of friends."

"What harm could a new friend do?" Liam said, his hand snaking up to Zayn's shoulder.

Zayn grew tense, body heat rising, cheeks flushed.

Niall looked down at the table awkwardly, heart racing louder than the others.

Liam glanced to him, then to the others. "Seems like this is my cue to leave then, obviously I'm unwanted at the time. I'll just come back some other time." Liam looked back down at Zayn, putting his back to the other three and leaning down to whisper in his ear. His breath hot over the side of his face, "If you're free tonight, I could use some help on a few things." His lips grew closer, brushing over Zayn's ear lobe. "And I guess we could work out a little exchange." He said, a smirk on his lips as he stood up and looked to the curious others. "See you around." He smiled, and his hand lingered on Zayn's shoulder as he walked away and out of their sight.

Every one stared at Zayn as he burned red, bright like a tomato.

"Someone has explaining to do." Harry blurted and they all stared at him.

 _Shit_. Zayn thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh sh.t, the suspense. :D Next chapter at your wait.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy :)

"I told you, we don't even know each other." Zayn explained.

"He sure as hell knows you." Niall said, his arms crossed over his chest like he was a disapproving father. "And what about the time you didn't even come down to supper? You went out with him then."

"That's why you ditched us that day?" Louis asked, sitting in the chair by the desk. Zayn sat on his bed, Niall in front of him, Harry on the bed before him, and Louis in the desk chair. They'd all attacked Zayn the moment they could and cramed into Louis' and Zayn's room to interrogate him.

"I'm allowed to have my freedom. You act like I don't allow you all to go out and go with your friends." He scoffed.

"It's not that. We're not talking about that day." Harry said.

"No, no. We should." Louis stated, "We should all come clean right now, about everything."

"There's nothing going on between me and Liam!" Zayn screamed, "Why don't you believe me?"

"Z, he came over. Said 'hi' to you, he didn't even say our names, we don't even know him enough to be buddy buddy with him." Niall said.

"And? SO, what? I hang out a little with Liam here and there. What's the big problem about it?"

"You're hanging with the guy we're trying to bring to the police!" Louis muttered. "Not only that, you're putting your emotions into this."

Zayn glared at him, "I'm not attached to him."

"You defended him not even twenty minutes ago." Louis attacked.

"Look, I don't see anything wrong with hanging out with a friend-."

"So, now he's a friend?" Niall asked.

"Could you guys stop attacking me? You're at my neck like animals about this." Zayn stood up.

"We're just trying to all keep you safe."

"From a suspected person, who we don't even have clear evidence on!" He yelled.

"Quiet down!" Harry hushed, standing up, "Before some one hears what we're saying. Every one has ears in this building."

"We don't have proof, we shouldn't even be doing this!" He whisper yelled, "This is illegal. Practically invading the police's work, and shoving our faces in it. This is big trouble for us." Zayn swung his hands around.

"Don't you think we know that?" Niall muttered, whispering as well.

"Then why are we still doing this? We just need to focus on our education, and do what's best for ourselves - forget this ever happened."

"What did that ever do to help us?" Louis asked, standing and joining the huddle. "We're doing this, alright?"

"I'm not. I'm sorry, but I'm not being dragged into this mess." Zayn said, putting his hands up in defense and pushing through them. "Even if I have to switch rooms, I'm not getting caught in this problem-."

Louis hauled him back, yanking his shoulder. "You're not leaving me. What makes you so scared-?"

"I'm not scared! Don't you know the difference between right and wrong? This is wrong. All of it." He smacked his hands together. "I'm doing what's right, and I'm stopping this right now."

"No, you're not." Louis said, yanking his shoulder back.

"I am-."

"You're not leaving this room until we make a group decision-."

"I'm no longer a part of this, you guys are in the group. I'm not getting dragged into it-."

"You're in it, whether you like it or not!" Louis bellowed, his voice deep and demanding. Face contorting in anger, Zayn sized up to him, clenching his teeth down, and flaring his jaw as well.

"Zayn, what happened to your neck?" Harry worried, and it burned all anger from his body.

He shot his eyes to Harry, his collarbone and neck showing out to them. The bite of a bruise purple, and still aching.

Zayn pulled up his sweater collar, "Nothing. Just an accident in the gym." He shied.

Before he could move, Louis was on him yanking the sleeves off Zayn's arms, and tossing the jacket aside. Zayn stood there, a bruise on his neck, and collarbones. A scratch heaved itself just over the bump of his shoulder, and a slight noticeable bruise under the neck of his shirt. Zayn reached out for his sweater, and Louis snatched it away.

"Give it." He demanded.

"That's a hell of a job there." Niall commented.

"Who've you been hanging around?" Louis asked.

"That's none of your business." Zayn reached for the jacket, "I swear to god, Lou, give it." He clenched his teeth together.

"Guys, I think we should all just take a moment of fresh air." Harry insisted, "We all just need to calm down. Louis." He called, putting his hand on his shoulder calmingly. "We all just need to calm down a bit."

Louis shook off his hand, turning back to Zayn. "Look, Z, I don't care who you hang around, but for your well being - this doesn't look healthy." He gestured to the deep purple bruises.

"My well being?" Zayn laughed hysterical, "Just a few minutes ago, you were climbing at me because I was hanging around someone you didn't like!"

"I didn't say I didn't like him, I don't agree with him around you."

"Hypocrite!" Zayn muttered.

Louis jabbed his finger at Zayn, "Hey! I am not a hypocrite! If you don't want me to care so much, then you could just say it and I'll leave you alone! You want to leave, fine! I won't stop you!."

"Louis!" Harry muttered, pulling his shoulder back roughly trying to pull him back from the arguing.

Niall stepped up, "Alright, alright. Calm down now-."

"I could care less what you think or do!" Zayn barked, not backing down even if Niall's hands were pushing at his chest. "You think you know what's better for me when all you ever try to do is pull me down with you, and drag me under. You always kick me under the bus when I don't do anything you like! One of these days, one of your plans is going to turn around and bite you in the ass! And I don't want to be there to save you!"

"Guys! Quit it!" Niall screamed.

 

An ear piercing sounded through the hallways, all the boys jumped in fear, instinct making them tear away, pulling the door open and shuffling out. The screaming didn't stop. A girl ran out of the room, a guy bringing her kicking and screaming self along. Fear written on his face as well. People opened their doors, looking out curious. Adrenaline kicked Zayn to move, he moved towards the open door that the screaming and crying girl came out of. Louis followed to pull him back, but followed, as the others did as well. They stared into the room, wide eyed staring at a student who's eyes were wide open, draped over the side of the bed half on it, and his neck dried with blood, practically torn apart. Dead.

 

Zayn's heart hammered in his chest, his head felt woozy, and he couldn't breathe. He felt light headed, and everything around him grew to an echo. The dead eyes of the student seemed to look back at him, staring into his soul to whisper the truth in the last seconds of his death. He didn't know who was pushing him along, putting their hands on his shoulders, but they ran into the room, yelling for the students to leave the floor and evacuate from the dorm immediately while calling police. Zayn couldn't move, he couldn't function, and turning to Louis - he could see the same thing. Four boys frozen there as people ran through the halls, leaving to the exit doors, and stairs. Another murder took over the university.

 

And they were left with nothing but blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My god. That was good. I have never been so into an argument in a story before in my life. :D Hope you enjoyed the chapters, the next update will be on next Monday or Tuesday. Which would be the days before Louis' birthday and Christmas, I'm so excited! My son, turning four. D: He's growing up so fast. My smol little hedgehog son. XD I hope you have the best of days, if you want to contact me go to my instagram who_not_larry, I'm practically glued to my phone on there. Follow me, talk to me, what ever you feel is right. You're loved, remember that. :) See you sometime. -Ayh


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! :) How's it going? I hope everyone's well and isn't getting sick. I got sick yesterday. D: I woke up sniffling and sneezing so much, and my throat hurts - so now, I'm sick. It sucks. This is the second time this year, and that's a first in a long time. Uhc. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this little update. One chapter, sorry. I've been really busy and I'm staying after tomorrow to make up for a test, in which I failed obviously, and then there's life problems, and not getting to the computer quick enough to snatch it for myself. The struggle. I will update two chapters next Monday or Tuesday to make up for this shortage of chapters, I have ideas but I needed some way to slowly platform them down to some resolution in my head but it wont come any sooner so I'm trying to get my head on right, and then continue having a writing spree. But for now, sorry for rambling, enjoy this little update. Besides that, I created a little Christmas larry fic, side Liam as well, I couldn't forget about them, and I will either be posting it this week or for Fanfic Friday/Smut Saturday. It's pure fluff, sorry smut-ty readers, but it's adorable. Cuddles and gum drops. :D Alright, I will go now. Hopefully try to understand this math. Wish me luck on life. :) Remember that you are loved and important. :) -Ayh

Zayn's leg never stopped bouncing as the group sat outside at a stone table in the foyer of the cafeteria outside. Niall kept pacing around, Louis on the phone with his mom, and Harry was nervously biting his nails looking around. Niall threw his arms up, "Another accident on campus in one month?"

"That was no accident." Harry groaned, sick to his stomach with the image. "That was-." He shook his head, sadness on his face.

Louis put away his phone, sighing before stepping up to the group. "My mom said she's coming around dinner to come and pick me up, we only have one extra guest bedroom though."

"Fine by me, I'll share if I have to." Niall said shaking his head. "Anything to get out of here for a bit."

"I don't think we should split up like this." Harry said.

"Have you got a better plan than standing around in a graveyard of dead bodies?" Louis snapped, recoiling on himself quickly after. "Sorry."

"We're all just a little shook up. Alright?" Niall said, pulling his arms around himself. "I think that we should all just have a little time off campus, and put this all aside until we get back to uni, yeah?"

Harry nodded, Louis following.

Niall looked to Zayn, "You alright?"

Zayn felt sick, possible to throwing up. He's never seen a dead body before, let alone one with eyes open. He felt like he could throw up, but every time he came close - it went away. It tormented him. He nodded his head nonetheless.

Harry sighed, "We all just need a good night's rest." He said.

"Away from this place." Louis added.

"I second that." Niall raised his hand.

Zayn stood frozen still. Niall clasped his hand gently on Zayn's shoulder.

"You alright, Z?"

He shook his head no, Harry to his other side pressing his palm to his forehead. "I think we should all get to the medical station, you're not feeling too well Z." He said, softly carding his fingers through Zayn's hair, and Zayn lulled lightly to the soothing instead of the light pulse in his neck. That's right, the _bruises_. Zayn pulled his head away, closing his eyes.

"I just need some sleep." He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Got a headache?" Harry asked, sitting beside him comforting his back, rubbing it lightly. "How long til your mum's here?"

"Maybe around dinner, if she's not working? So, a few hours or so." Louis crossed his arms over his chest, steadying his stance. "They're not going to let us into the dorm until they have every source of information they have from that room." He shook his head, "It could take all night."

"How about we all just -," Harry paused, "I don't know." He scratched his forehead.

Niall looked to the school, "Looks like they're letting in students." He dropped his arms from his chest. "Guess we have a choice to go in or not." He shivered, "It's cold out here, so I think we should go in. Hang around the library or something until supper."

Louis nodded, and Harry stood up. "You coming with?" Harry asked, looking down at Zayn in concern.

"Yeah, I'll go in a bit. I just need a little more air to breathe."

Harry nodded, rubbing the back of Zayn's neck. "Call us back here if anything." He smiled warmly, patting his shoulder and turning.

Louis followed beside him, Niall walking on ahead.

 

Zayn sighed into his arm, laying his head down on his arms, and closing his eyes. The visual of the scene came through his head even if he felt so sick, he felt like he could throw up. Bile revved up in his stomach, and he launched up from the seat, rushing to the nearest trash can. He dry heaved into the bin, and stood there a moment gulping down his dry breath, gasping for air. He licked his lips, stepped back, and holding his stomach. What kind of human - no, the person didn't deserve to be called human, a _monster_ \- would do such a thing? The thoughts made him want to hurl again and he leaned over the bin, ready for it. Nothing came.

 

He stepped back again, his eyes burning with tears of almost throwing up. He wiped his eyes, gulping again, and again, looking up to the group of people passing the window of the cafeteria. Eyes found his own, and he froze. Liam stared back, slowly coming to a stop before heading for the door towards Zayn. Past Liam, another set of eyes met his, glancing to Liam and their eyes latched before it was a battle to race towards the double doors. Liam pushed open the door, coming in front of Zayn. His smile wide, and his spirit seemingly high.

 

"Zayn." He sung, "Where's your friends?" He rung his arm around Zayn's shoulder, pressing his chest into Zayn's arm.

He gulped, "Inside."

Liam's instinct consumed him, wanting to reach out and touch the bruise on Zayn's neck. The bruise _he_ caused. He was quickly growing territorial, he could almost lick the bruise, lick the marks and scratches _he_ designed on Zayn's body. His, _all his_ , and Liam would take him by force from any one if he had to. The corner of his mouth twitched, "Why don't we get you somewhere safe? Hm?" His hand fell down around Zayn's waist, cupping his side, and turning away from the building.

The door to the cafeteria opened. "Zayn!"

Zayn turned, and some low growl rumbled in Liam's chest.

Perrie stood in the doorway, closing the door, growing nearer by the second. "Where are you going with him?" She snapped at Liam.

He glared, "Zayn and I were going to my car, he needs a breath of fresh air from this place." He said, pulling Zayn closer. Their sides pressed.

"What he needs -," she clasped her hand in his, pulling him from Liam's side but still in his grasp. "-Is his friends."

Zayn stood like a rag doll between the two.

Liam stepped up, standing behind Zayn with his arm wound around Zayn's waist entirely. "I _am_ his friend."

She snarled, " _Înapoi pe tine gunoi diavol demn."_

Zayn stood confused as she yanked him behind her, her hand clasped tightly around his.

" _Monsters ca tine merită să fie vânate, și sacrificate."_ She snarled again, starting to walk backwards towards the cafeteria doors.

Liam stepped forward, but the confusion in Zayn's face blocked him - he contained his composure. Looking back down at Perrie, he scoffed. " _Tu vrăjitoare și Cultelor tale, ești petele societății. Nu eu_." He looked back up at Zayn, "I'll see you around Zayn." He smiled, "I doubt we can stay away from each other for long." He licked his lips, seemingly seductively, and glanced down to Perrie where his grimacing face appeared again. He turned away from the cafeteria, and started for the field between the parking lot and the administration and main building.

Perrie turned to Zayn, his eyes falling on her. "Are you alright?" She asked, her eyes trailed over the bruise on his neck. Quickly she reached up and ran her thumb over it.

Zayn hissed, pushing her hands away. "Stop it." He dug up his voice.

"Did he do this to you?"

"What? No-." She reached up, pulling the collar of his shirt down revealing a small bruise on his collarbone and below it. "Stop!"

She swatted at his hands trying to push hers away, "Stop it." She retorted, "Answer me!"

He stared at her and couldn't will himself to lie, he exhaled, "Yeah." He mumbled under his breath.

This time, delicately, she reached up and smoothing her fingertips across the bruise. The cool touch soothed his skin, and the pulsing slowed. She shook her head, "I told you to stay away from him. He's bad for everything."

He looked into her eyes, "How do you that?"

"Because," she glanced back to where Liam's car had left it's parking spot, "I've known him since he was born," she crossed her arms over her chest, "stories came around that he was nothing but a plague." She shook her head, "All he's ever done was infect everything he's touched."

Zayn looked to the parking lot too, "And you believed those stories?"

She turned back to him, "I don't believe them. They're _true_." She grabbed his arm, bringing them towards the door. "There are things that you shouldn't know, but remember this one thing -," she opened the door, shaking her head at him, "People may be blind, - but they're not deaf." She pulled him inside, eyeing the parking lot before bringing him along the halls and leaving out of sight where Zayn was among the people of the cafeteria.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here. As promised a two chapter update, for today. I almost actually forgot it was Monday but my alarm reminded me. Thank god for those. :D I hope that you enjoy these chapters, I actually got to finish this story and am just waiting for every Monday and or Tuesday because I am just waiting for you guys to see the ending. It's pretty cool man. A little research done, considering I am a person of research and like to have some true facts thrown in there but most of it is just bleh. But, without further a do, enjoy the chapters. :)

Zayn folded out his laptop on the bed, listening to the people walking by his room. He glanced to it before pulling up an engine search, and putting in what Perrie had said days before. The name's _Lilith and Lamia_ had rung through his head for the past few days. Getting louder and louder every time he was alone with his thoughts. The typing and click of the laptop brought him to a search page of ' _Lilith'_. His eyes squinted as he looked through them, pulling up the first page he found. His eyes scanned all down every word, and his heart raced more as he scrolled down.

 

" _Lilith, a Hebrew name from Jewish Mythology, was created in the Babylonian Talmud. Around this time, female demons in the Mesopotamian religion had popped up in many cuneiform tablets from Akkad, Assyrian, Babylonia, and Sumer similarities. Lilith, or lilit, was later translated as "night creatures", or "night monster" and had appeared in Isaiah 34:14 in the earlier manuscripts. It was identified as a female demon. In Alphabet of Ben Sira, a Jewish folklore, Lilith is Adam's first wife, who was created from earth - like Adam_."

 

Zayn pulled up another tab, writing in _'34:14 Isaiah, old scriptures'_. " _And desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and goat-demons will call out to each other. There also Liliths will settle, and find for themselves a resting place_." He clicked back to the original page. " _In Akkadian language, lili and lilitu means "spirit". Lilith refers to disease bearing spirits. All scriptures with Lilith's name, including the Dead Sea scrolls, Kabbalah, Talmud, Latin bible, and Hebrew text, it had depicted Lilith as a creature or demon of some bad sort_."

 

In every new tab, he'd pulled up, he searched the names of books. Scanning frantically as people passed by, his heart racing faster in some fear that someone unwanted would come in. " _In Greco-Roman mythology, Lilith is connected with the Greek Lamia, a demon who would steal children. Lamia was known as the "child stealer", with an upper body of a woman and lower body of a snake."_ He pulled up a picture. A beautiful woman bare of clothes, with a snake wrapped around herself. Her hair long, and her hips curved. A being of deceiving beauty.

 

" _Hera, the wife of god Zeus, cursed her with stillborn children because Lamia had slept with Zeus. Lamia then went into grief and took revenge on mothers, stealing their kids and eating them. She had a sexual thirst and cannibalistic hunger for children, known for being a vampiric spirit and obsessed with drinking men's blood_." Zayn's shirt itched his neck, and he reached up pulling the collar away. The bruise tingled under his finger tips, and he paused with his hand on the bruise. _Vampiric. Drinking. Lilith_.

_  
_

_"Zeus took pity on her, having that she was cursed never to shut her eyes to obsess over her dead kids, and give her the ability to take her eyes out and put in. Later the Empusae, demons that were said to have gave birth to Lamia, was a lore of the succubi or even Lilim_."

 

Everything came to a slow halt in Zayn's mind, his mind running until it'd burned out. His hands sprung out to the laptop, biting his lip anxiously, typing the ridiculous word _'vampire_ ' into the search box. _Vampire. A being from folklore who feeds on the life essence or blood or living creatures. Vampire. Undead beings who're pale from lack of malnutrition, who feed on the living's blood to satisfy their blood thirst. Vampire. Undead beings who have a lust for blood, and some times depicted as sex and blood driven demons._

 

He leaned back, his back hitting the bed post and his hands covering his mouth. He stared at the laptop, his heart racing. Every single sly interaction coming back into his head.

 

 _"Sorry, didn't see you there."_  
_"No. It's fine." He said, staring down at his papers picking them up._  
_"Let me." Liam said._  
_Their hands brushed, and Zayn ripped his hand back quickly from the freezing cold contact._  
_In complete eye level, Liam stared back at him, giving a little scoff. "I'm sorry about that, I actually didn't see you coming, guess I was too busy - doing what ever." He lied._

_**Demon.** _

_"Wow, your hands are cold."_  
_Liam laughed, "Sorry. Poor Circulation to the hands."_  
_"I can feel that." Zayn smiled. "Is this how you shake people's hands? You just hold it between people?"_  
_"If I feel like I like them, yeah."_  
_"Like them ?"_  
_"Like a mate, I mean. Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you. We're friends." He patted his other hand on the back of Zayn's, the coldness twice as worse._  
_"We're friends?"_  
_"Yeah. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" His voice tempting and deceiving. "I mean, we have the same class together. Might as well help each other out, right?" His eyes glint with mischeif._  
_The cold hands around his was draining his hand of warmth, Liam's sharp eyes were slicing him apart. He smiled, "Sure. What harm could a new friend do?"_

_**Undead.** _

_"What're you doing?"_  
_Liam eyes darting to Zayn sitting on the bed with his shoe laces untied. He picked up a lie quickly, "Letting in some air, seems a bit stuffy in here."_  
_"Really? I didn't notice. I would open a window, but it's freezing out there."_  
_Liam nodded slowly. "May I come in?"_  
_Zayn stared, brow fixed down. He scoffed, "I'm guessing this once couldn't hurt." He joked._  
_Liam passed the threshold, and wondered into the room almost suddenly._

  
_**Vampires can not enter a home without the owner's consent.** _

  
_"Stay away from him, he's no good." Perrie said, her hand tighter on his wrist. "He's an animal."_  
_Zayn's eyes glanced between hers, "He's just like everyone."_  
_She shook her head, "He's nothing but a monster." She pulled his hand back when he tried pulling it away, "Lamia and Lilith. Look them up." She said, letting go of his wrist and he stepped into the hall_

_**Monsters.** _

_"I really appreciate that we came out here, I've actually never have been here before." Zayn looked around._  
_Liam eyed his neck. "Yeah, I've always come here when I need a breath of air." He sipped his beer, "Or a drink or two."_  
_Zayn looked back to him, "It's a nice place."_  
_He smirked behind his bottle, "It is, isn't it?"_  
_Zayn smiled, nodding back as he looked among the crowd around the table and at the bar._

_**Sex and blood thirsty.** _

_Zayn whined when Liam latched onto his bottom lip, and let it go with a nip. His lips travelled down Zayn's jaw, sucking at the defined jawline of his, and his lips danced over Zayn's pulse - and he growl lowly. Zayn's balled up fists full of Liam's shirt, leaning his neck back as he whined out when Liam's teeth bit down on his neck._

 

Zayn's breath was staggering, his heart jumping in his chest as he closed his eyes. How could be not see this all along? How did he set himself so far into the trap before realizing his foot was on the trap door? His phone jumped, ringing loudly and he scrambled grabbing it. His hand shaking, and he took breaths putting it to his ear, taking gulps through his dry throat.

 

"Hello?"

"Zayn, where are you? The last shift of dinner is right now. What're you doing?" Louis asked through the phone, he could hear Niall on the other side.

"I'm sorry, I just - got carried away."

"You alright? You don't sound too good, Z."

"Yeah, I'm," he looked to the laptop, "I'm just a little sick right now."

"Do you want me to bring you something?"

"No, no." Zayn said, closing his laptop, and slipping on his shoes. "I'll be there in a bit."

"Zayn, mate, if you're sick, don't push yourself-."

"I'm fine." He pulled on his jacket, "I'll be there in a few, - I just need to drop by the library and then I'll come down." He said, grabbing his keys from the rack.

"Alright. You sure you don't want us to bring you something? If you're going to faint, we can't be there to catch you-."

"I'll be fine. Be there in a bit. I'll call you if anything." He said, hanging up and pulling the door open.

 

The corridor was empty, people either in their rooms already studying or taking naps, or at the last shifts of dinner. Some people went back for seconds if they were in the earlier shifts, and felt like they could use late night munchies later on. It was about nine thirty that the last shift started, and ended at ten. Anything after that is considered breakfast, even if there's only one worker there to hand out food - times there would be food, because Niall would tell them that he'd gone out around eleven and had a chat with one of the cashiers there while paying for his food. Zayn pushed the elevator button down, and out of the building. His head warm, and the cool air made him relaxed.

 

Walking towards the library, he pulled open the door, and was met with the warm air of the halls. The empty gym passing him by, and he walked into the library. Some people were there, the librarian eyed him as he passed by. He ducked into the history sections in the far corners, hearing the library door open behind him as he entered the aisle. He scanned over the books one by one, pulling out one only to put it back and pull out another one. He needed to find a book on vampires, he needed to find something that he could hold as physical proof of there being vampires, or the undead walking in living territory.

 

He searched frantically, just wanting to be by his friends already. He sighed, finding no use and turned away from the books. He paused. In one of the carts left around stood an old book, the front cover was ripped in the corner and he looked around before grabbing it in hand. He sucked in air, and it trapped in his chest. The cover read in cursive, _Scriptures of Delphi - Overlook of the book of Monsters and Men._ He stared down at the book, hands shaking. He could be crazy, he could be insane but nothing cold explain the evidence he scooped up. He turned back to the bookshelves, searching for another book to take out. It would look natural if he'd have two books. Zayn carded his finger over the books in the library, but the willing shadow on the other side made him pause. He was met with hazel eyes, his heart suddenly racked up and his breath caught in his throat but he managed to exhale shockingly.

 

_Liam._

 

Those eyes looked up at him through the bookshelf, and he threw his stare down. He glanced back up when the shadowing Liam wandered further down the aisle, and Zayn plucked out his random pick. Liam rounded the bookshelf, and Zayn couldn't find himself to move. His feet felt like stone, and looking up he found Liam standing feet from him with a smirk on his lips as he stopped to look to the books. Zayn looked back down at his book, hearing his heart beat pounding in his ears. Liam could hear the thrill of blood running through Zayn's body, the smell cascading his senses, and making his mind wild and red.

 

Liam came closer, putting the book back on the shelf and walking closer looking among the titles. Zayn gulped, clenching his book harder in his hands and trying to distract himself with the book titles in front of him. Zayn was lost when a hand swooped past him, and grabbed the book in front of him. He freaked looking over his shoulder to Liam standing mere inches from him, enough to smell the faint leather from his jacket and see the stubble from his chin. His eyes latched to Zayn's, and he smiled again. His breath pressed against Zayn's shoulder as he pulled back, and opened the book momentarily just to put it back on the shelf again.

 

Liam pulled away and down the aisle.

 

Zayn sighed when Liam was out of the aisle, his heart pounding in his chest enough to make him feel sick. His leaned on the book shelf, and gulped through his dry throat. With the strength he had, he hurried along and passed the glancing Liam just by the magazine rack by the counter, checking out his books, and chucking it to the library door after signing out the books. Glancing back, he met Liam's staring eyes with a smirk on his lips and Zayn moved even faster out of the hall.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little heart felt chapter but then panicked and you'll see why when you read it. Hope you like it, and will stick around for the ending. Comment about what you liked so far in the story and what you did thought about what was going to happen at some points or what didn't happen but you wanted to. I'd like to hear about it. Always do. So, for the while, update next Monday/ Tuesday, let alone in 2016, wow - we survived 2015, what an amazing and roller coaster adventure we had as a fandom. Yikes. Enjoy. :)

The next morning, not that Zayn had much sleep, he didn't go to class. Couldn't. He told Louis he wasn't feeling well, and after pushing Louis out of the room forcefully and locking it behind him he shuffled back into bed and contemplated on whether he should come up with a lie to tell Louis and the others why he was sick, or why he didn't feel fit to go to breakfast. He stood in bed all morning, staring at the sun coming into the room, and silence filling the halls as no one stood on the floor. All tucked away into the distance in school, flipping pages, and writing notes. He was there, in bed, curled up in a ball, hiding away from the world in nothing but boxers despite the draft.

 

In leaving, Louis had put his blanket on Zayn's so Zayn had the two blankets to himself while he was away. Even offered to stay away from school, and help Zayn recover. That's why Zayn assured him, shoving him out, and never moving from his curled up position on the bed. He blinked slowly, tired, as he listened to the light hum of the Bluetooth speaker that Niall let them borrow since he didn't really need it because Harry always played his CDs or laptop tracks. He let them have it for the time being.

 

Zayn's eyes slowly closed, the warmth of the blanket soaked into his bare skin, and he turned his head into the cool touch of the pillow below his head. His phone dinged to a message, and he sniffed. Reaching out blindly, he pulled it from the charger, and opened the message from his mom. _'Miss you Zayn, I hope that you're alright love. Give a call when you can, I love you'_. He smiled at it, tapping the icon, and the screen grew wide as his phone rung. The phone stopped ringing, and Trish called from the other side.

 

"Hello?"

"Hi, mum." He said, putting the phone on speaker beside him as he faced it.

"Zayn, my baby. How are you? How's school?"

"I'm -," he paused, "I'm alright mum," he lied, "I decided not to go to class today."

"Why not?" She worried.

"I haven't been feeling - I've been sick."

"Oh," she sighed, "Are you alright? Is it from the cold?"

"Partially." He mumbled.

"What's wrong? You sound down. Is Lou alright? Where is he?"

"He's alright mum, he's in class right now. He's doing good."

"How about you? Are you alright? Do I need to come by?"

"No, mum, I'm alright. I've just been -," he exhaled, "I haven't been feeling safe here."

She sounded panicked, "Are you alright? Is someone threatening you-?"

"No, mum. I'm just - I'm a bit scared of the people here."

"What about that boy? The one I had a chat with last time?"

Zayn's throat began to swell up.

"Where is he? Is he alright?"

"He-." Zayn croaked, he couldn't breathe. His heart beat was racking through his chest again.

"Zayn? You okay?"

Zayn gulped, closing his eyes, and taking the phone in hand. "Mum," he exhaled, "I'm scared."

"Zayn," she worried, "You need to use your words, baby, talk to me. Tell me what's going on."

"I don't know." He said shakingly, "I've just been so scared, and I don't know if I can handle being out here much longer." He sighed, "I like it here, mum, I really do. But - there's someone who's been just, I'm scared of them."

"Who is it? I'm going to come down there, I need to make sure you're alright."

"No." He boomed, "No, it's alright. I'll just go to the guidance here, I just need to sort things out. Between me and them. We just need to have a chat is all." He lied, "I'll have it all sorted out by tomorrow night."

"Zayn, honey, are you sure you don't want me to come and pick you up for a bit? It seems like you need some time away, it's no problem-."

"No, I'm fine. I'll get more sleep, I haven't had sleep all night."

"Is it because you're stressed?"

"Yeah, something like that." His heart slowed down, the thought of his mom coming here, into the red zone, into a murder central worried him. He had to say no to her, for her own good. For her safety.

"You know you can call me if you get scared, or if you need some air - I can come and pick you up and we can come home for a bit."

"I know, mum. And I love you for taking care of me all the time. You raised me so well."

"I love you too. So much." She sung, and he could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Well, I have this all cleared out - I'll come home for a bit. Autumn break is coming soon. I'll come home then."

"That's great, love." She cheered, "I can't wait. And I really do wish you would try not to wear yourself out so much."

"I know I shouldn't. I can't help it sometimes."

"That's my fault, I always worried too much about you and wore myself down to the bone. You learn from me."

"I learn only the best from you." He sighed, his chest stopped feeling so tight, and he allowed himself to relax in the moment.

There was comfortable silence, lulling Zayn to close his eyes and feel the soft blanket against him. "I do love you, Zayn. You'll always be my little baby."

"And I love you mum, you'll always by the number one woman in my life." He smiled when he heard her laugh.

"You're too good to me."

"You deserve the best."

She scoffed.

"You do." He pressed, eyelashes fluttered across his cheekbones, arms growing boneless slowly.

"I do." She admitted, "And you deserve the world." She smiled into the phone.

He hummed in acknowledgement.

"You're going to drift off to sleep now?"

"Yeah." He sighed.

She cooed, "Well, I'll go now then. Let you get some sleep, text me when you wake. I know you'll sleep late, and wake up later on in the day. You always did." She smiled into the phone again, "I do love you Zayn, you're the reason I'm still alive today, and still fighting to make everything okay for you."

He couldn't have the words to reply, drifting to sleep.

"I'll always be here for you, always." She paused, "My _Sundar bacca laraka._ " She smiled. "Sweet dreams."

 

The phone went black after the call ended, and Zayn's mind drifted off to sleep where he couldn't worry, or fear that the world would come crashing down on him, or that the roof was going to collapse in. Soundless, and sweat, sleep.

 

__________

 

Zayn jerked awake, his heart jumping out of his heart, and he sat up with a shriek. Louis sat in the other bed, ripping his attention to Zayn who was panting. "Hey, hey, hey." Louis said, putting down the laptop and quickly getting up from his bed to Zayn's. "Hey, it's okay."

Zayn flinched when Louis' hand touched him, almost jumping out of the bed if Louis' hands weren't anchoring his shoulders.

"Hey, it's alright, Z." He soothed, looking Zayn in the eyes. Zayn's eyes stood wide, worried, and his body was sticky warm.

His chest rose and fell quickly, never failing to jump.

"It's alright, calm down."

Zayn shook his head, "No, no, no." He mumbled tossing the blankets aside, and jumping out of the bed.

"What's wrong? Where are you going?" Louis asked as Zayn frantically pulled on a shirt and pants.

"I have to go, I have to." He said quickly.

"Zayn, Z," Louis stopped him from moving to the door, putting his hands on his chest. "Calm down, mate. Just take a breath."

"No, this needs to stop. All of it." Zayn pushed away his hands only to have it up again.

"Zayn, calm down. Talk to me, mate. First you're ripping out of bed like you just had a nightmare, and now you're trying to run out. I think you need to sit down, you're sick-."

"I just need to get out." Zayn said, slipping past Louis quickly and dodging his hands.

"Zayn, no, come on mate. Don't-." Louis chased after him, but the door was open before he could grab Zayn.

Zayn was rushing out of the door, and down the hall. Dodging people in the hall, and sprinting to the elevator.

"Zayn!" Louis yelled, getting people's attention from the hall to look between to the two.

Zayn grunted when the elevator didn't come quick enough, he ran to the stairs, going up a flight, and nearly body slammed into someone. "Sorry." He muttered, passing them and into the hall. He looked to the numbers. He followed them down, and came to a slow stop. His heart pounding as he knocked heavily on the door, there wasn't an answer. He knocked again, heavier this time. "Perrie. Open up."

People looked out of their open door curiously, and being nosy.

He knocked again, "Perrie!" He called.

The door came open, Perrie looking at him wide eyed, and confused. "What do you want? What're you doing here?"

Zayn looked craze. His eyes were wide and he was breathing ragged, his stepped into the room. "You got'ta help me. You have to help me-."

Perrie pushed his chest back, "What're you doing? Stop it." She muttered, "You're acting crazy."

Zayn grabbed her wrist, her hand on his chest, and she could feel his heart racing in his chest. Running rapid and scared, his eyes looked pleading, he was scared. His hands held her wrist, shaking frantically as he looked between her eyes. "You have to help me. Please." He cried, fear knocking in him causing him to tear up. "I'm so scared."

Perrie stared back into his eyes, feeling his heart jack rabbiting in his chest.

He wasn't scared - he was _terrified_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no. What will happen next chapter? Comment, if you'd like, what you think will happen in the next chapter. :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops? I totally forgot about an update. I was busy all day and finally had the time. So, enjoy the chapter. Again, sorry.

Perrie watched as Zayn stood hunched over his tray, eating like a starved dog. He glanced up at her, and slowed down. She raised her eyebrows slowly, the poor thing. He sat back, chewing the remaining food in his mouth. She could practically see the fear dripping off of him, like yellow fever. The problem was above surface. She sat straight, hands in her lap, eyes trained on Zayn. Zayn toyed with his fork, licking the mashed potatoes of the corner of his mouth.

 

"You've been up in your room all morning?" She asked, finally breaking the silence.

He nodded. "Haven't gone out since last night."

She slowly shook her head, "Since last night." She repeated.

"Don't want to." He added.

"Why'd you come to me?" She asked finally, and Zayn's eyes were stuck on hers. Wide with expression.

"I need your help."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "I don't understand-."

Zayn leaned down to the table, whispering, "The Lamia, Lilith and Lamia. Demons, monsters, _vampires."_ He shook his head frantically, "They're all real. The _Scriptures of Delphi_ , the - Latin Bible, - they're all manuscripts of the same thing. Monsters who feed on the living's essence of life. Blood, sex, power-." His breath was lost.

Perrie stared, blinking like she was oblivious. "I don't know what you're getting at-."

"The murders." He whispered, "They're all connected. I looked into it. The guy, Magnus, he was in law. He was the last one killed just a few days ago, the police found his neck torn open. _Bites_. Alicia - same thing. They were both drained of blood, both have bite wounds on their bodies. It's all over the internet, it's all over the news-."

"So?"

Zayn groaned in frustration, "Please. You've got to help me." He pleaded, "You told me about the Lamia and the demons." He scurried around the table, pulling her hands into his as she tried pulling them away. "You told me there were monsters and I didn't believe you until now, please, please. Please. Help me." He cried out.

Perrie rose to her feet, yanking her hands away, and straightened out her clothes. "Stop acting like a child."

Zayn pouted, features like he were ready to cry, or even go to the floor and beg on his knees. "Please, help me. I don't know where to go. Just help me-."

"Shut up." Perrie looked around, "People are starting to stare." She said, but Zayn didn't care. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What do you want me to do?"

"Help me."

"How?"

"Help me, keep me safe, something." Zayn said, "I feel like I'm the next target to be dead if I don't do something." He clasped his hands together, "Please-."

"Alright!" She huffed, pulling his hands apart. "Stop it." She muttered.

Silence grew between them, him staring with his puppy eyes and her staring at him aggravated. She huffed again.

"I know - a few things." She swayed, "I know what's been going on around the school, I just didn't think that it would be this bad." She sucked her teeth.

"You know?" Zayn stared, "About the - _monsters_?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I? Monsters live among humans like it's an every day thing, I just didn't think it would get this bad. Besides," she fixed her arms, "It's not like I can do anything. I'm just one person."

"You have me now, I can help. We can stop this together-."

"It's not like that." She stated.

"Why?"

She stared a moment more, before looking around, and putting his things on the tray and throwing them out. "Let's go."

"Where?" He asked, as she linked her arm with his.

"Back to the dorms. If you stay around me, - I'll see what I can do to keep anything from happening to you." She pushed the cafeteria doors open, "But I can't keep you alive." She stated, and they walked towards the dorm buildings.

 

__________

 

Perrie stood silent in the room, Zayn fidgeting but feeling slightly relaxed in the comfort of her room. The room wasn't cold compared to his, the heater stood on making it a bit hot in the room. Zayn picked at his jacket as Perrie peeled books from the bookshelf, grabbing three and placing them on the bed. Zayn looked down at them. "These were my family's books." She crossed her arms over her chest again, "Every single monster they'd ever come across, every single legends they'd heard, every myth busted or proven true - in these books." She sighed, "They're mine now."

Zayn opened the book, another language scribbled across them.

"Right." She said, "They're Romanian." She stated.

He looked at her.

"My family - they had their secrets. My ancestors came from a long line of anti-vampire humans. The closest thing you had to an army back then." She cleared her throat, "They held the same power as vampires had with just simple words but in a ungodly rhyme." She scoffed.

"What do you mean?" Zayn asked, "Was your family - psychic?"

"There's a difference between a mage and psychic. A psychic can tell the difference between times, sensing things around, and beings that have passed between dimensions into this one. A mage creates and has magic, it's like blood to us. The thing that makes this a fight between living and dead, is that mage's are meant to protect both the living and the dead. My family disagrees with this, and we hate the dead." She scoffed, "To think anyone would worship a dead."

"Then -," he paused, "Is there a possibility that, in some way, the dead were to become alive? Like a living person would become undead, is it possible to reverse the process?"

She stared, "Why?"

He inhaled. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Perrie scoffed, "I think you're the one hurt here."

Zayn pulled his jacket closer to his neck, covering the bruise that still was healing. "Besides that."

"Look, I know how to kill things. Slow and easy, let alone monsters-."

"I don't want to kill Liam." He blurted.

Perrie stood quiet. "Why? Because you _love him?"_

Zayn's heart raced in his chest again, did he?

"There's a difference between the dead and the living. The dead have no connection, no means of having a relationship. Only hate towards the living, who can go on and have the fun they can while the undead are limited by rules. He doesn't love you, only your life."

Zayn stood, staring into her eyes. " _Look_." He snapped, "I've seen enough blood, and bodies showing up on campus already, and I've had my fair share of being the victim. I am not going to be the cause of another body, dead or alive, on this campus. Now, you will help me, even if it means I have to put myself into this problem to solve it out. I will do everything and anything to keep every one, friends and family, from getting hurt any more. So-," he paused, "you either help me find a way to reverse this problem. Or I do this on my own."

Silence was piercing, their stares at each other grew stiff into glares. Perrie sucked in her cheeks, and turned her eyes aggravatingly to the side. She hissed, "If I help you, and things get worse, I will kill him."

 

She turned away, going into the bathroom, and closing the door behind her. Zayn exhaling, instantly deflating, and falling onto the bed. He held his chest, and his face burned. He was really going to do this. He was going to some how reverse, or try to, Liam back into being a human. He didn't know how, didn't know what he was doing - didn't know what he needed. But he would have this done, and over with even if he had to sacrifice himself into the equation to cross out the evil in Liam. He didn't know how, or how much time it would take, - but he would sort this out, with or with out the help of Perrie. Some how.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here! Here's a chapter for update Monday, ans hope you enjoy it. Zayn's birthday is tomorrow. D: My son's growing up. He's going to live his dream and chase it no matter what. And I'm proud, even if I have an ounce of doubt in me. Anyways, enough talk about my beautiful son of four others, enjoy the chapter. :)

Everyone was seated around the furthest lunch table in the court, it stared right back into the cafeteria, and any one could be seen walking up from behind them. The boys grew anxious, tired of waiting, and wanting to know why they'd all been called to the table. Especially with _Perrie_. They glanced up at her but every time they'd glance, she'd glare with her arms across her chest, and they'd look back down at the table. Zayn rushed up, his backpack filled with books, notebooks and actual literacy, a sweater pulled around him to fight off the cold morning air.

 

"Sorry." He muttered, "I just came from the library, I didn't think I would be late." He said, tossing his book on the table and opening it.

"Mate, what're we doing here?" Niall asked, "It's freezing, and I think I lost a nut." He stated.

Perrie glared.

"Hey, someone had to say it." Niall blurted.

Louis glanced to her, then to Zayn. "Why are we here Z, honestly?"

Zayn looked to Perrie, and silently she stood to her feet beside him. "There's been murders going on around the campus, isn't there?" She asked, coldly.

They all nodded in union.

"I know what's been happening," she glanced to Zayn, "So does Zayn, so if you want to keep this under the rug - I suggest you zip it, and listen-."

"Hold up." Louis muttered, "Why does she get to know what's going on? I thought all those years in primary meant I was your best friend." He said hurt.

"Listen," Zayn said, leaning his hand on the table. "It doesn't matter. Alright? What matters is that this, this body count stops. Right?"

They nodded.

"What's going on? What'd you find?" Harry finally spoke out, leaning his elbows on the table while Louis followed unconsciously.

Zayn looked to Perrie, and Perrie gestured her hand to the group. He inhaled, "What's been going on, it's not something normal." He paused, feeling his chest tighten. "What we're dealing with is what's been the conflict of many centuries, and it could only get worse if we don't stop it now."

"Well, what is it? Sounds like you're advertising Global Warming or something." Niall scoffed.

Zayn sighed. "We're dealing with a vampire."

The group went silent.

Louis cracked a smile. "You're shitting me, right? What kind of joke is this? You're such a shitter." Louis laughed, looking to the others. Perrie's and Zayn's face said other wise. He stared, "You can't be serious, right?" He doubtfully said.

"I am." Zayn stated. "Everything that's been going on, every murder on the school grounds."

"You mean to tell me - there's a dead person, walking around, and killing people?" Harry asked, "This has to be a joke."

"Well, it isn't." Perrie said. "This is serious business, and if we don't act now - it's only going to get worse until there's tens of bodies showing up on campus before anyone could blink."

Everyone grew stiff.

"How do you know?" Niall asked.

"Perrie?" Zayn said, and she stepped up.

"My family comes from a long line of mage's. Mage's are meant to protect the dead and living, to make sure that their paths don't cross for the rest of humanity's life span. My family doesn't agree with the right to protect the dead, we only protect the living and we've always had fights with the dead since one showed up on the face of the Earth thousands of years ago."

"Hold up," Louis called again, "You're some - witch?"

" _Mage_."

He put his hands up in surrender sensing the aggravation in her voice.

She went on, "In certain laws of the dead, the dead aren't allowed to harm the living, as well as take them against their consent. That's why the dead pair up the with living, trick them into think they're in love with them." She side glanced to Zayn but unnoticed, "Their partners would give them anything, because they think they're in love." She stared around the group, "The dead aren't supposed to interact with the living at any costs."

"What does this have to do with the murders?" Harry questioned.

"What she's trying to say is that," Zayn stepped in, "She's going to help us."

Louis went wide eyed, "Hold up-."

"I swear to god, if you say that one more time - I'm going to rip your tongue out." Perrie growled.

Louis' mouth slowly shut, but spoke out again. "I didn't sign up for this."

"Neither did I."

"We're a team right?" Zayn mocked, "We stepped into this, as a team, to find out what's going on through the campus."

"Yeah, but you said the moment something seems bad we back out. This seems bad." Niall stated.

"Too bad. We started this, and we're going to finish it." He nodded to Perrie.

She looked back to the group, "Zayn's come up with a plan to lure in the dead."

"Hol-." Louis bit his tongue, "One moment." He rephrase, "Zayn came up with a plan - to lure in the dead? I thought we were trying to stay away from danger?"

"We've been in the red zone ever since we stepped foot on campus. We just didn't know it." Zayn mumbled.

"Anyways." Perrie started again, leaning against the table. "Zayn's come up with a plan. It involves all parts and persons a job, and the plan has to go the right way."

"If it doesn't?" Harry asked.

"Then we're dead if we don't." Zayn muttered, "This isn't a pass or fail class. This is a real case scenario, and this can't go wrong in any way possible."

"That's no fair! We didn't sign up for this." Niall cried, worry in his voice with fear.

"We're all in this, right?" Zayn pressed. He looked around the group. "We're either in this, or we let another group of innocent people die to a blood lust vampire. Do you want that? Knowing what's going on to keep going on, and not doing a damn thing about it? Or are you going to suck it up, and fight for your friends and family members. Because we for sure don't know if they're back home still alive." He said harshly. "You either fight and survive, or die trying." He pointed his finger down at the table, "I'm doing this, and I don't care if none of you are there to back me up. I will do this myself, and get killed. If it stops the murders, I will do it. Anything to keep my friends and family safe."

Every one looked down with down cast eyes, sad looks, and hammering hearts.

"So," Zayn stood up zipping his backpack, "While you sit around and do nothing to help this place, I'm going to fight for what this world deserves." He slung his backpack over his shoulder, Perrie joining beside him. "And if this is the last time I see you guys, just know I said goodbye soon enough." He turned from the table, Perrie following beside him.

"Zayn."

Zayn and Perrie turned, Harry rising from the table.

"I'm coming with." He said, rounding the table and joining behind him. Harry smiled nervously, "I want to protect my family."

Zayn smiled at him, going to move forward.

"Wait!" Niall called, rising from the table as well and joining the group. "Can't get rid of me that easy, now can ya'?" He laughed nervously.

Silently, they all looked over their shoulders. Louis sat at the table, his back to them, without an intention on turning around.

Zayn nodded to himself, and turned for the building. "Let's go." He said, "Let's get this over with." He announced, and they started into the building.

 

Getting the last person in, Zayn turned back to the table, holding the door open and watched as Louis turned around to look to the group leaving. Zayn stared, feeling his heart ache. Pressing his lips together, he raised his hand with a wave and waved Louis goodbye. Louis didn't wave back or turn away, he just stared. Zayn took it as his time to turn away. Slowly, he moved from the door hearing the springs slide to close it. When the door would close, it would be the end of his life. He wouldn't know if he'd survive this fight, he wouldn't know if he'd die. He just knew he was the target of this entire thing, and he'd go on with or without his best friend - just because he had to move on, facing the fact that not everyone stays. And not everyone is truthful.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here. Sorry for the Tuesday update, to be honest I was busy and school's been a rightful bitch to me. Plus I didn't have school yesterday, so I took the day in and slept in. It also snowed yesterday, like, actual snow but it was only an inch. This chapter is so close to the end, I will debate whether or not to post another chapter or leave it on a cliff hanger. :) Because I'm evil like that. Oops? Enjoy. :)

Zayn smiled to Eleanor as she brushed by him in the aisle, "See you at supper?"

Zayn's eyes glanced past her to Liam who'd stood seated, watching people pass him as they left. "Yeah." He sighed, and reached out giving her an unexpected hug.

She froze, "Oh." She laughed, hugging him but never measuring to how tight he was hugging. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," he pulled back, "We just haven't hung out in a long time." He lied smiling, grabbing his bag. "Supper." He reminded, "I'll come by your room before."

"Great." She waved to him, and he followed suit after.

His heart hammered in his chest as he walked up the steps, Liam stood up just as he was passing him, and followed behind him being the last one to exit the class room. He eyed the veins in Zayn's neck, and blinked away. Giving himself a smile, he cleared his throat, and stepped up. "Hey Zayn."

Zayn turned to him, stopping in the hall. "Oh, hi." He smiled.

"Hi is all I get?" Liam joked, "We've had class together for a month now, and I get a hi?"

"Sorry." He nervously laughed, "I didn't get much sleep last night, couldn't really sleep anyways. Some couple in the next room were really getting along well."

Liam listened to the staggering heart beat, "You don't say." He smirked, "You doing anything tonight?"

"Actually," he lingered, "I was going to ask if you'd like to hang out sometime tonight."

Liam raised his eyebrows, "Oh, really?"

Zayn turned red in the face, "I didn't mean it like that-, I meant-."

Liam laughed, throwing his arm over Zayn's shoulder. "I'm just messing with you." He knocked his fist lightly on Zayn's cheek bone. "I'm always trying to get a kick out of you."

He laughed nervously, Liam pushing open the front doors, and they walked out together. Liam walked closer to Zayn, their shoulders brushing occasionally.

"So, where do you want to hang out?" He pressed.

Zayn shrugged, "I think I have enough popcorn from my roommate to say that I could run a movie company under my roof. We could watch something."

"Will Louis be there to join us?"

Zayn turned his head to him as they walked, "Hm?"

"Your roommate. Did you forget who you're bunking with?" He laughed.

"I just didn't hear you." Zayn frowned.

"Sure." He teased, walking across the collection of dorm rooms until they'd gotten there. Both of them went to reach for the door and their hands skid across each others, instead of Zayn throwing his hand back, this time - it was Liam who did. He pulled back his arm, hissing.

Zayn looked at him worried, "Are you alright?"

Liam shook his hand, laughing, "Yeah. Just a little sore, accidentally hurt it this morning." He lied.

Zayn nodded, opening the door and walking in. Liam followed close behind, looking down at his hand, and back up to Zayn.

Zayn smirked, hitting the button of the elevator while Liam remained behind him. He'd gone back to when him and Perrie were having a conversation that morning.

 

_"Why do I have to put that thing on? Won't it be noticeable?" Zayn asked, as Perrie rung a necklace around his neck._

_"If you haven't notice, the other boys are wearing them too. They'll keep you save."_

_"How? It's a piece of jewelry."_

_"It's locked wolfsbane, no one can smell it but you, not even him. Everything dead hates it. It's deadly to the dead, and living. So, if this opens - you take it off immediately."_

_"Why do I have this around my neck if it's going to hurt me!"_

_"Because, even if it's harmful to you, it's more harmful to him. Anything you touch with your hands only, anything you hold, it'll be impossible to be held or touched by him. To the living, it's more of an itch you can't scratch. To the dead - it's like putting your hand over a fire and burning your skin. It'll keep you safe."_

 

The elevator went up, and the two remained silent.

 

Zayn absently stared up at the lighting numbers of the elevator, and leaned back against the elevator wall where Liam was already stood. Liam looked over to him, eyes dragging down his face and neck. Zayn turned his head, catching his eyes. He smiled, and looked back to the number as he thumbed at the edge of his jacket. Liam couldn't smell him. He could hear his heart pumping, the sound of his blood moving about, and his hands rubbing the fabric of his sweater around. But he couldn't smell him. His watchful eye turned into a stare, a string wrapped around Zayn's neck caught his eye. The end of it inside his shirt, away from sight. He looked to the opening doors, and then to Zayn.

 

"Zayn," He caught Zayn's arm, feeling the heat reach out and grab him.

Zayn turned his wondering brown eyes at him.

Liam stared, trying to somehow rip at a barrier of something to catch Zayn's scent. He couldn't. He smiled suddenly, "What time should I come around?"

Zayn smiled, "Oh. Uhm, maybe around eight?"

Liam nodded, "Sounds good to me." He stepped back into the elevator, watching Zayn step out.

Zayn turned, and waved to Liam. "See you then."

"Yeah." The doors closed, and Zayn moved quickly away from the doors to his own. He opened the door, and hurled himself in. Louis already sitting on the bed.

"Woah, man. Calm down," Louis stared. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Zayn huffed, putting his coat on the rack. "I just had a chat with-." He paused, Louis didn't care about their plan, he wasn't there. "Nothing. Just - _nothing_." He said.

Louis deflated, "Alright." He said, going back to looking between the laptop and his notebook.

Zayn pointed to the kettle, half of it still full. "You made tea this early?"

"Uh, yeah. I've been cramming on tests and what not. You can have some. There's plenty to go around."

Zayn nodded pouring himself a small cup, and grabbing some packets. "Hold on, you just said you're doing - tests?" He said amazed, "Louis Tomlinson, doing work?"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, shut up." He huffed, "I need to pass this trimester, and then I'm done." He pointed, "No more tests after that, strictly a party trimester."

Zayn chuckled, "Alright. Alright. Fair enough." He said down on his bed, facing Louis.

There was silence as they sipped their tea, and Louis tapped on the laptop. Louis glanced over to Zayn, and pressed his lips together. "So," he sighed, "how's the whole - _thing_ going?"

"Fine."

Louis nodded slowly, playing with the lose space bar. "Any trouble?"

"No. Not yet."

He nodded again. Finally, he bounced up, "Look - I'm sorry I didn't join you guys on your little montage."

"I understand. You don't want to get hurt." Zayn nodded, "I don't want to either, but - I have to do this."

"But why?"

"To make sure my family's okay." He shrugged, "And, I mean, if no one does it - we can never go to sleep knowing there's death hanging around every corner." He looked to Louis, "I want to make sure my family's alright, and that they can be able to live everyday away from harm. - I want you to be safe."

Louis' shoulder slowly sunk.

"You're my brother," Zayn smiled, "And I'd give you a kidney if you needed one."

 Louis stared, feeling bad in his heart, and could even feel it breaking into pieces.

Zayn looked down, peeling the necklace from around his neck off. He stood up, ringing it over Louis' head, and setting it on top of his shirt. He smiled sitting back down.

"What is this?" Louis picked up the locket, engraved with Romanian words on it.

"It's a locket. Something to keep you safe." He picked up his backpack, pulling out his headphones and folder. "I don't really need it anymore." He said, "I've got all the protection I need."

 

And truth was - he did need it. To keep him safe, to keep him untouchable, to keep him from being vampire's lunch. But - he didn't want it. He'd rather that Louis have it, something to keep him safe and remember his best friend by, if anything did happen. Zayn knew that things were at stake tonight, things would happen, and something's maybe wouldn't be according to plan. They'd have to improvise, they'd have to make up a new plan. If anything did happen, he'd know that Louis was safe. Louis never asked anything of Zayn, nothing major, nothing massive, but the attention of his best friend and some time with him. That's all Louis ever wanted.

 

Like this - Zayn would be with Louis in some way. When Louis would want Zayn to remember his existence and hang out with him, in a sad way, he'd always be right with him. Zayn doubted the thought of ever coming out of this alive, he doubted that the elixir would save him in time, and that everything would be okay in the end. The only hope he had was that everything would stop once he'd sacrificed himself for his family and friends, rather than taking a life.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw. I had to add in a little Zouis bromance, I love how they used to interact with each other. They were the best of brothers. And I thought about adding in a wolfsbane portion because its actually a huge thing in the supernatural world, and a beautiful plant as well. :) But poisonous. Sadly. Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed my mind and thought I'd give away this chapter. It's small, but its a big dopey one. You'll see. Enjoy. :)

The plan was to trick Liam into getting too close, and when the time's right - trap him in, and an elixir taken orally would flip the switch.

 

That would mean that if Zayn didn't get it right, at the right vulnerable time, he'd be nothing but fresh meat. This was totally out of range. Leaving him in the open, vulnerable to possible death. And even if Liam wasn't up for an entire meal, draining Zayn completely, Zayn was at a loss to being taken advantage of - and possibility of turning. Zayn hadn't said his goodbyes, knowing if he did it would only be a distraction to the others and could possibly mess things up. Every one was on the edge about it.

 

Every one had been at it. Their necklaces around their necks as they went to meet up after supper, and every one took the tiniest swig of this sweet tasting elixir. Everyone's eyes darted around at each other, worried about who'd be the last one to stand up and just do something already. Zayn was the last to take a drink of the elixir, and there was a small breath.

"Where's your necklace?"

Zayn handed back the bottle, few gulps left, and wiped his mouth. "I don't need it."

"Don't need it?" Niall questioned, "You're the one going into the fire, you need it more than us." His statement was blunt, but no one commented. It was true.

He shrugged, "I won't hesitate."

"On what?" Harry asked, "Getting hurt if something goes wrong?"

"Why don't we stop focusing on the bad end of this and actually have some faith that this will go right?" Zayn snapped, huffing, and rolling his shoulders.

"He's right." Perrie spoke out. "Though this is the stupidest thing you could've done." She mumbled.

He rolled his eyes. "Let's get this over with already."

Perrie pressed the palm of her hand against his chest, whispering under her breath, "Zeii viață dragă pentru a proteja acest om cu tot ce poți și să dea siguranța dumneavoastră ceas. L înfășurat în lumină, astfel încât el poate merge prin valea morții, cu un zambet pe fata lui și mândria în etapa lui." She continued with a breath, the air around them grew colder in the autumn breeze, almost like it were nearing below average. "Draga zeita' de moarte, nu pune mâna pe acest om pentru el este într-o călătorie în care soarta lui va alege pentru el. Lasă-l să umble pe valea morții în tăcere, dar acoperi urmele lumină el a mers atât de nimeni nu poate urma."

 

The air was nipping, almost like it were pinching their skin with a burning fire. The moment her hand fell, heat encased them again, and the natural autumn air fell over them. A lightness over took them as they looked at each other in confusion as to what had happened, but they didn't fear as much as they did the moment the word spread about death on campus. They were fearless, and their shoulder didn't feel heavy. Their feet were light, and their breathing even.

 

"We should get going." Perrie stated, "We don't have all day."

When they'd turned, they came to a surprising sight. Louis stood there, feet from them, clutching onto the handle of his backpack with his lips parted. He gulped heavily.

"Lou, what're you doing here?" Harry asked, as everyone stared.

He stepped forward hesitantly, "I've thought about some things-." He froze, "And I realized - I was being selfish." He fidgeted in his step, glancing to the floor, and twiddling his thumb against his shirt. "I don't want to get hurt. - But - I don't want you all to get hurt."

Zayn stepped forward, waiting for Louis' thoughts to catch up to him.

"So -, So, I'm doing this." Louis stated, "And I could care less if I get hurt, but knowing that my best friend could get hurt tonight, and that I was being too selfish of my own life to care. That's selfish to not care about you guys like that." He stood taller, "I want in."

 

Everyone stared to this guy, who'd run away at the first signs of possible death but ran head first into a crime scene, who'd changed. Everyone was surprised - but Zayn. Zayn knew Louis, that he wouldn't stay the same in knowing that his best friend, his family, would risk everything for him. Louis never backed down once in his life when he came to a challenge, he'd always take some time to adjust to things, but he didn't back down. Zayn turned, taking the elixir bottle from Perrie's hand, and turned back to Louis. Standing in front of him, he glanced down at the bottle before holding it out to Louis. Louis stared at it confused.

 

"You're going to need to drink this then." Zayn smirked, "Tommo."

Louis stared, slowly smiling before taking it into his hands and opening the top. Louis tipped the bottle up, "Cheers mate." He grimaced at the bottle a moment before downing it, having the remaining bits of the elixir didn't leave a good taste in his mouth, but he drank it down, and finished it off.

When he smacked his lips together, he looked disgusted but Zayn laughed, throwing his arm around Louis' shoulder, and shaking him. Louis smiled up at him, as every one had a little more hope in them.

 

This was it. This was their family. Death or not, they'd barge down the door and fight what ever was on the other side. It was fight and win, or fight and die trying - and they were ready for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Louis joined he fight. That's what I meant by dopey. It's happy and cute, a revolution that would start or end the biggest battle of the campus. Until next Monday or Tuesday, enjoy! Just two chapters until the end. D: I don't want to leave this amazing story, it was pretty fun writing. :( Well, it was good while it lasted. And will still be good in the past. :) Enjoy.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, Ayh here. This is goodbye. This is the last, official chapter of the story. The next chapter would be the epilogue, and this would be the end and conclusion to our story. :( This is so sad though, because I've actually come to like this story when I finished it a while back and just looked it over to publish the chapters. I love this story, to death I do. But - without further ado, please enjoy this ending chapter, and the epilogue to soon follow. :') To the memories.

There was a knock on the door.

 

Zayn cleared his throat, putting down his laptop, and padded over to the door. Pulling the door open, Liam stood on the other side leaning against the door way with a smile. Zayn's confidence faltered a bit, but he smiled back. He looked to the closed doors of the hallway, most people went down to the hall for a little dorm party they all wanted to have but dotted around the hall randomly were a few neighbors. Zayn looked back to Liam when Liam cleared his throat.

 

"Are you going to - let me in or?" He trailed off.

Zayn nervously laughed, "Sorry. Come in." He pushed to the side as Liam moved in with permission and lingered by the door as Zayn shut it, and turned to Liam.

Liam smiled at him as they didn't say anything but watching each other, Liam laughed, shrugging off his jacket. "So, what're we watching today?"

Zayn passed by him, going to the bed, and turning the laptop towards him. "Uh, I was thinking either Red Dawn, Just One of The Guys, Labyrinth, or - The Lost Boys."

He nodded, "Any favorites?" He fixed his black V-neck around his neck.

Zayn cleared his throat, "Uh. - Lost Boys."

"Of course. I mean, who can resist Kiefer Sutherland's good looks or Jason Patric's bad boy transition?" Liam smirked, "Every one loves him."

Zayn scoffed, "Or maybe it's Jami Gertz's ability to live up to her character 'Star'?"

"Is that an argument worth fighting for?" Liam said, mirroring Zayn's movement along the room and towards the bookshelf. Zayn, still holding the laptop, pushed the laptop into Liam's chest.

"There's nothing to argue about. We're civilized human beings here."

Liam took hold of the laptop as Zayn let go, and focused on refilling the kettle with water and putting it on the heat pad. "Touché."

Zayn walked past Liam holding the laptop, and over to his bed, pulling the covers off to push them at the foot of the bed and hold his arms out for the laptop. Liam walked over, putting it in his hands.

"So, where's Louis?"

"With his friends." He said monotone, going through his Netflix, pulling up the movie as it started to play.

"And you've decided to stay here instead of going out and being around people?"

"I've told you before, I don't really like public places. I'm more of a stay home kind of guy."

Liam nodded slowly. All of Zayn was suffocating him. Without the necklace, in which Louis still had in his hold, Zayn was detectable. Sharp to every changing emotion, every blood switch of breath, and every gland in scent. The room was surrounded with him. Liam towered over him standing.

Zayn stared as the actor names came up onto the screen, the overshot of the beach and following the car down the road as the radio changed over and over. The character's mumbling to change the channels. He glanced up at Liam, his heart skipping a bit, "Aren't you going to sit? You're already missing a bit of it."

Liam smiled, "I've got the movie by heart in my head."

He nodded, "Do you want to watch a different movie then?"

Liam finally sat down, his side pressing into Zayn's, so close that Zayn could feel his breath on his shoulder. "No, I think this one's fine. It's your favorite anyways."

Zayn stared, his eyes falling all over Liam's face helplessly to his own actions. His eyes fell onto Liam's lips, and he nodded, giving a gulp. "Alright." He mumbled, and Liam's smirk grew.

"Eyes on the movie then." Liam whispered, with a chuckle and Zayn ripped his eyes away from him to the laptop in his lap.

 

After a while, Zayn was focused on the movie and he'd watched as Michael in the movie was lulled in unconsciously to Star's beauty. Star running away in the crowd with Laddie, and Michael followed while his littler brother Sammy chased after him. Star and Laddie moving through the crowd of the Santa Carla port side carnival as Michael followed while Sam questioned him about following the girl, Sam wandered off to the comic store, and Michael continued following her through the crowd until they'd come across the biker line of motorcycles. The vampire's all hopping onto their bikes, and ready to rev off until they spot Michael who'd followed Star. They give a laugh, and drive off.

 

Liam's eyes peeled from the movie to Zayn. Zayn, too caught into the movie, didn't notice Liam's eyes look over his own and fall to his neck. The arties pulsed with blood, his breathing loud and clear, as Zayn shuffled a bit before settling again and watching the movie. Liam could see the blood rushing away from Zayn's heart, almost taste it on his tongue as he breathed heavier, and instinct was pushing him further. He gave a huff and it brushed over Zayn's shoulder, Zayn turned his attention to Liam.

 

"You alright?" Zayn asked, looking over Liam's face and his heart started to pick up.

Liam smiled, leaning a hand behind Zayn so his chest was pressed against his shoulder. "Yeah. You?"

"I'm fine." He whispered, noticing Liam lean in more as he cocked his head sideways.

"Mhm." Liam mumbled, and decided to make his move. He leaned in, pressing his lips into Zayn's, and cupping his warm skin.

Zayn pulled back, "What're you doing?" He put his hand over Liam's to take it off, but he almost couldn't.

Liam didn't answer, moving in more, and pulled Zayn closer.

 

Zayn went compliant. Liam moved to stand up, his lips never leaving Zayn's until he grabbed the laptop and closed it to throw it onto Louis' bed and turned back to Zayn. Towering over him, he shoved his shoulders back and Zayn's back hit the bed as Liam was quick to tower over him. His hands beside Zayn's head, and he ducked down to kiss at Zayn's lips again. It wasn't anything soft, aggressive and rough. Liam nipped at Zayn's lips, licking into his mouth as Zayn tried to gain some sort of control in this. His breath running rugged as he turned his head gasping, Liam's lips at his jaw kissing the under side. Zayn's hands fell onto Liam's shoulders, pressing his palms into the muscle through the shirt and trying to hide his neck as Liam's lips danced down his jaw and behind is ear.

 

The kettle started to whistle.

Zayn panted, "Liam, the kettle. I have to get the kettle."

"Forget the kettle." Liam mumbled against his skin, giving a nip to Zayn's jawline again before his lips settled up and down the pulse of his neck.

"Liam. I have to get it." He pushed at Liam's shoulders helplessly, and Liam didn't budge. "Liam!" He said louder, half a yell, and shoved him.

Liam nudged back, setting back on his feet again in between the beds. He put his hands up in defense, biting back on his tongue as Zayn sat up and corrected his shirt before standing.

Zayn pulled the chord from the wall, and pulled the kettle off of the heating pad. He grabbed a cup, pouring in the water. He sighed, trying to relax himself. "How many sugars do you want in your tea?"

He didn't realize Liam had stepped in behind him until Liam's hands were on his hips, and his lips pressed a kiss into his neck. "I don't want tea." He whispered, his face never leaving Zayn's.

Zayn leaned away, putting down the kettle along with the cup. "Stop it." He muttered, "You need to either stop it or get the hell out." He said defensive so suddenly. The plan started now.

Liam chuckled darkly, inching closer to Zayn as Zayn backed up. "Why so snippy all of a sudden? I thought we were getting along just well."

Zayn put his hand up, facing his back towards the door. "Get out."

"Why-?"

"Get out." Zayn said, sharper this time but Liam wasn't scared of him. The opposite. Zayn picked up his coat off the hook, holding it out, as he opened the door and shoved the jacket into Liam's chest.

Liam smirked, putting his hand against the door and giving it a strong shove closed. His fingers danced over the lock, and he locked it pushing the jacket away. "I think I'm going to stay here." He said, his voice sly and monstrous.

Zayn gulped, the jacket being pulled from his hands and thrown back to the door as Liam inched closer every time Zayn stepped back. "Stay away from me, and get out."

Liam laughed, "Come on, babe," he reached out, clasping his hand around his wrist, "We were just having a good time." His voice was dark, and poisoned.

"Get - off!" Zayn yelled, reaching into his pocket and pulled a small two inched dagger Perrie had gave him. Silver. He reeled back his hand, and stabbed it into Liam's shoulder.

Liam gave a yelp, pulling the dagger from his shoulder and stared down at it with a glare. It didn't compare to the one he'd given Zayn when he looked back up at it, it burned in Liam's hand, giving a sizzled sound, and Liam tossed it to the ground before his hand wrapped around Zayn's neck tightly and Zayn's hands tried prying it away. Zayn gasped for air. "We could've went the easy way, and just settled this." Liam said, pulling Zayn forward only to shove him back against the wall with a little more force. "This could've been over by now. But you always had to have a reason for everything." His hand lifted Zayn off the ground, his feet kicking even if his toes were inches off the ground. "First it was those friends of yours. Always pulling you away."

Zayn scratched his dull nails against Liam's arm, to no use did he get dropped.

"Then it was that b.tch, the witch. Oh, she really pissed me off." Liam grit his teeth, shaking his head with a malicious laugh. "And now this - _you_. You were always the pain in the ass. Always fighting to stay alive, always pushing yourself away from me. But here we are." He smirked, "Look how we got here. You put yourself out there, going against every single thing people have said, but yet - you still went the wrong way. Always so persistent on shoving yourself where you don't belong." He clenched his hand a little tighter, and Zayn's vision blurred, kicking even harder to get some sort of leverage off the wall to get breath to his lungs. "I guess curiosity killed the cat."

There was a jingle of metal.

"I'm tired of you." Liam growled, lifting Zayn higher up the wall.

The door came open, and Liam turned his head.

 

Louis stared at the two, standing in the doorway, and his thought process snapped quicker than lightning. He barged into the room, giving his strongest shove to Liam's side and his hands touched Liam's skin. The necklace dancing free above his shirt. The burn becoming a knife in his side. Liam hissed, his hand dropping Zayn as he turned to Louis and snagged him by fist full's of his shirt. Zayn hit the floor gasping for breath as Liam tossed Louis aside, and Louis collided with the desk. The desk made a huge cracking sound as it snapped, the legs giving out as Louis tumbled off the table and onto the ground. He groaned, rolling to his back slowly. Liam snarled, rounding the beds and towering over Louis.

 

He reached down, pulling Louis up by the collar of his shirt as Louis' hands were frantic at scratching his nails into Liam's arms, touching what he could as he knew it burned his skin. Liam raised his fist, giving Louis a sharp punch down to his jaw and Louis could almost hear the crack of his own jaw. Pain shot through his face, and a pulse of black danced over his eyes. Zayn groaned on the floor, raising his head slowly as a fuzzy picture formed in front of him. Liam towering over Louis as he punched down at his face, and Zayn was helplessly watching his best friend being beat up. He cried out trying to pull himself to his hands and knees.

 

"You tried to be the hero of this story, and look what this got you." Liam growled, watching as the blood dripped down Louis' chin, down his jaw, pooling against his neck. "There's no good guy any more, there's no hero's, there's no one to come down and protect you. No one. Just _me_."

Zayn propped up on his hands and knees, his vision clearing but still whirled like the room were spinning as he tried to get his feet under him. He fell back to his knees when he tried to move forward.

 

It wasn't the beating Louis was getting that made Zayn look up, but the inhumane rumble that came through Liam's chest that shook his very bones. He watched as Liam lurched forward, pulling Louis' shirt up, baring his teeth and sink them into Louis' neck. With such a force, Louis let out a blood curling scream that cried he was in pain. Zayn could hear the rooms around them stop, even from down the hall, and he could hear the suction of Liam's gulps pounding in his ears. One gulp, two gulps, three - and Liam wrenched away. Blood dripping down his chin, glistening his lips, and he shook his head like he were seeing double. He coughed, sounding like his throat was dry instead of filled with satin flowing blood.

 

Louis' breath was shaking, sounding painful as he shook, trying to pull himself up onto his elbows. Swaying, he gulped, holding his neck as tightly as he could as his blood soaked his shirt. He inhaled, "You lost." He croaks, "You're not strong. - You're weak." He inhaled a dry breath, "You're going to die just like the rest of us."

Liam backed up until his back hit the wall, gasping for breath, and looking like he'd seen the dead and corroded bodies walking on Earth.

Louis' fell on one side, "Game over."

Liam's knees buckled, and he landed on his hands in knees. Searching for some sort of anchor, searching for a breath he couldn't find. His head spun, and his mind couldn't function as the world took it's toll and he fell dizzy on his side at the same time Louis collapsed on his side unconscious.

Heavy feet came down the hallway, breaths just the same as they came into the door way, and both Niall and Harry looked in. Their panicked faces drained of blood, white as a ghost, "Zayn!" They screamed at first, rushing to Zayn's side and holding his arms up. "Are you alright?" Niall asked.

Harry's eyes fluttered over the room, first to Liam, then to Louis. "Oh, god." He muttered, quickly getting up and rushing to Louis' side. He picked him up, panicked as he cupped Louis' face. "Louis? Louis, wake up." He patted Louis' face, searching for a breath of life until he felt his pulse through him and sighed in relief. "Oh, thank god." He breathed, falling over Louis' chest and holding him close.

Niall and Zayn looked to Liam's still form on his side, "Is he - _dead?"_

Zayn moved, fighting out of Niall's grip slowly.

"Zayn. Zayn-." Niall said, trying to pull Zayn back to him as Zayn kneed his way over to Liam's body on his side.

The room went silent. Watching Zayn as he rolled Liam on his back, and looked down at him.

 

Zayn moved slowly. His hand pressed into Liam's cheek softly, and he could feel the coldness on the over side. His hands shook as he stroked his fingers over Liam's cheek bones and jaw, both his hands lovingly cupping his face as he looked over Liam's unmoving body. Something in this still form made him uneasy, but he pushed it aside and fear overtook it. What if Liam didn't wake up? What if something went wrong, and Liam wouldn't wake up? the elixir was supposed to change him back, not kill him. Zayn let out a shaky breath, smoothing his thumbs over Liam's cheek softly and leaned down a bit as he pressed a small smile into his lips as much as he could.

 

"Liam." He mumbled lowly, "Wake up, Liam." He called, looking to his eyelids that didn't flutter open or even flutter under them. His breath hitched, "Liam? Liam. Come on buddy." He patted Liam's cheek lightly, trying to feel for some kind of pulse in him.

 

There was none.

 

Emotions flooded over Zayn as he attempted to wake Liam up, shaking his face lightly, and patting his face. He was sitting there, expecting the elixir to work, for Liam to come back to life - and nothing was happening. Liam, this guys he'd come to know one side of. Liam, the guy who was always insistent to hold a door open for him, or ask if he was alright, even if he could smell the emotions pouring out of Zayn. Liam, the guys who'd been going around the school, no friends, and managed to make a friend out of Zayn regarding the circumstance. Liam - the guy he'd accidentally come to like. The way he'd smile when Zayn would say something witty, the way he laughed even if it were fake, the way he'd always linger closer to Zayn, pressing his arm into Zayn's and getting him to smile out of embarrassment of accidentally brushing into him. He'd compliment Zayn's drawings, and noticed things that other people didn't. Even if he was a monster, all those things that Zayn liked, those weren't from this monster inside of Liam - it was _Liam_. The human under the monster's mask.

 

Zayn was the one who got too close.

 

Zayn's heart thumped against his chest, patting Liam's face a little harder. "Liam, come on. Open your eyes." He pressed his lips together, "Come on. Liam!" He said louder, his breathing turning rough as thoughts overcame his mind. What if Liam was dead? What if the elixir didn't do it's job and actually killed him? What if Perrie lied to him about Liam being saved, that in the end she was the bad guy, and wanted him dead because of what trouble he might of caused for her family? What if she wanted him dead still and she'd finally done the job by tricking four guys into thinking this was an easy thing, when in reality she didn't want the blood on her hands?

 

Zayn could see it coming, the tears rolling in from the corner of his eyes to meet in the middle. He sniffled, and his breath shook as he inhaled and exhaled like he were going to cry. He was. The others in the room stood quiet, mourning in Zayn's grief as Zayn exhaled again and the tears came rolling down his cheeks. He cried, his face contorting as he whined pulling Liam into his arms. The helplessness he felt, that he couldn't do anything for the person he loved. The way that Liam felt heavy in his arms, cold, and dead weight. How he couldn't save him. He sobbed, smoothing his hands down Liam's hair and cupped his face again to brush his thumb over his face. This sadness he felt, this heaviness in him that no other person would lift but Liam. He felt like he couldn't breathe, like someone had ripped him from the inside out and his heart was dead. He couldn't do anything but let the sobs rack his body, and clench harder onto this lifeless form he once loved.

 

When his thumb glides over Liam's cheekbone again, there's a twitch under his eyelids and Zayn froze. Liam seizes to life, coughing, clenching his eyelids tightly and his hand coming up weakly to cover his mouth. Zayn stops crying, helping Liam to his side as blood spilled out onto the floor from his mouth. Everyone in the room is on edge, watching the pair as Liam's breath comes out like he's been running for miles. When Liam stops coughing, he looked up at Zayn with wide eyes. Zayn stared back down at him. Zayn's red eyes met Liam's wide hazel one's, filled with life and emotion as he looked frantic around the room like he'd been blindfolded all his life and he was finally free of him. His eyes are so bright, and so much alive. The corner of his eyes pricked with tears but he didn't know he was crying until Zayn's face softened, this time pulling Liam into his arms as he cried into his hair with relief as he closed his eyes to the human contact.

 

Liam's skin against Zayn's is hot, burning hot for the first time in forever, and his heart beat is hammering against Zayn's grasp in his arms. He's - _human_. For the first time in what was forever - Liam's human. Zayn cried for that. Everything was going to be okay.

 

Frantic footsteps came down the hall, pushing the door open, and everyone looked up to Perrie. The campus nurses behind her as they pushed in past her, and were quick to the wounded or seemingly wounded in the room. She looked around the room to everyone, and her eyes landed on Zayn's who were already looking at her. She glanced down to Liam in his arms, a nurse pulling a wipe from his pack and wiping off the blood on Liam's face and neck as well as asking him for his responsiveness. Zayn glanced down to Liam in his arms, then back up to Perrie, and his lips trembled as he smiled in pity of their situation. Perrie smiled back in sympathy, never moving away from the doorway as they checked up on Louis and Liam. Soon enough, they got the two out of the room and into the nurse's station across campus.

 

Liam's human, Louis would be saved and still human because it worked in both halves. Changing Liam, and keeping Louis human and protected.

 

The elixir worked. The murders would stop happening on campus. They'd be safe.

 

Liam would live a new life. Zayn on the other hand - changed.


	26. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final and ending epilogue, I really had an amazing time writing this story but like all good stories - they must come to an end. So, enjoy this epilogue and story entirely. Read it over as much as you'd like now completely, as many times as you want. :) I know I will. Anyways, enjoy.

Harry shivered, making a shivering sound. "My hands are freezing." His breath danced out, and he pulled his coat closer to himself.

"That's why we have gloves Haz." Louis took off his gloves, putting them over Harry's hands and clasping them together. "You should always keep a pair in your jackets, love."

"That's why I have you then, I guess." He smiled, and Louis smiled back brushing up on his feet and kissing him.

Niall groaned, "You guys are disgusting." He rolled his eyes, looking to Zayn. "Could we leave them behind?"

Zayn laughed, "When you're in love, you'll understand." He patted his shoulder.

"Love?" Harry scoffed, wrapping his arms around Louis' shoulders swaying them, "I hate this guy with all my life."

"Yeah?" Louis teased, "So much for that Christmas gift of yours I was going to get."

Harry kissed his lips again, "It's alright. That means you're not getting a birthday present or Christmas present." He mumbled against his lips.

"Fine by me." He chuckled, sucking Harry's lips and pressing closer to him.

Niall groaned again, mumbling that he'd dig himself a grave right there if it weren't so cold.

 

It was November now, just a week from all that's happened. The news didn't get to the newspaper, although a few people spoke about the possible fight in the dorm room. No one but the guys know what happened, and Perrie. Every since then, they haven't had the chance to meet her again. It didn't seem like she wanted to be in their lives anymore after everything was tidied up and finished with, so they let her go her own way and didn't bother her anymore. Harry and Louis got together, Louis always teasing Harry that he'd cried when Louis was unconscious and caught him tearing up when Louis was sent to the hospital and he was at his bedside. They'd all seemed to recover pretty quickly all bunched together, helping each other along if they needed help with something.

 

Liam, well, Liam was a different story.

 

"Hey, do you guys want to head out to some pizza place?" Niall asked, "I'm starving right now, and anything beats standing out on this campus doing completely nothing but standing in the cold."

"Sure." Louis looked up at Harry, "Pizza?"

"Anything sounds good right now." Harry agreed, and they looked to Zayn. "What about you?" Harry gave him a little shove to the shoulders.

"You up for pizza?" Louis asked.

Zayn stood silent a moment, dazing out.

"Z?"

Zayn looked up at them, "Yeah, pizza sounds alright." He smiled.

Niall stood up from the table he'd been siting on, "Well, we better get going now before the place closes. I heard there's this new pizza shop just outside campus, their pizzas are amazing." He beamed.

"Calm down there tiger." Louis joked, and Niall punched him in the arm.

"Hey! Only I get to hit him." Harry said, clasping his hands at Louis' neck.

"Oh," Louis smirked, pressing his forehead against Harry's, "Punish me all you want." He purred.

Harry laughed, kissing his lips, and Niall groaned again. "I'm going to sign out, hurry up, you idiots."

Zayn shook his head smiling, watching Niall go off towards the main building.

A group of people passed by, just having got out of the second shift of dinner. They laughed, playfully patting each other's backs roughly and shoving each other.

"Hey," Louis shoved Zayn's arm, smiling, "What's got you in the clouds?"

Zayn shrugged, "Nothing, just thinking about things."

"Token for your thoughts?" Harry asked, leaning back into Louis' chest as Louis wrapped his arms around him. They were an unstoppable pair, snippy and snarky together - always playful and loving -, Zayn liked them together, equaling each other out.

Zayn shook his head, "All these things that happened, and we got out with a scratch and a paper cut."

Louis cleared his throat, "Last time I checked, I had to change a bandage this morning on my neck because I got bit by a maniac with sharp k9's. There was no paper cuts."

Harry laughed, "Don't be so butt hurt. At least you're alive." He patted Louis' cheek lightly and pouted his lips when Louis glared, but it melted away at Harry's presence.

Zayn chuckled, "Come on." He got up from leaned against the side of the table beside the two. "Let's go before the Irish gets mad."

Louis laughed, "I don't think he'll be mad after a slice of pizza."

"I don't think he ever gets mad when there's food involved." Harry commented, giving a kiss to Louis before moving away so Louis could hop off the table and followed behind him.

Zayn watched as Louis trailed directly behind Harry, with his hands on his shoulders as he gave a hop and Harry quickly grabbed his legs giving him a piggy back ride. Harry laughed, quickening his step, as they hurried down the path and to the main building. He shook his head and smiled, "Crazy kids in love." He mumbled to himself, shoving his hands in his pockets. Harry was right about it being too cold. He brought his jacket closer to himself, and balled up his fists inside of his pockets. He passed by a campus light and a shadow collided into him, both stumbling back a bit. "Sorry." They both said to each other, and both looked up.

Zayn's eyes stared back at Liam's, and Liam's stared back at Zayn's.

"Hi." Liam said, and his voice wasn't the same. His voice was lighter, humane. His eyes were lively and they darted all over Zayn's face, his hands going to move inside of his pockets of his worn out leather jacket, and he shifted on his feet. This wasn't the Liam he knew, but it was safer.

"Hi."

Liam licked his lips, "How're you doing?"

"I'm good. And you?"

He swayed, "Lonely." He scoffed, and glanced down at the ground before looking back up at Zayn. "How's every one else?"

Zayn shrugged, "Niall's alright. Harry's doing good. Louis - he's recovering."

Liam nodded, "I'm sorry about that again. About him-."

"It's fine, you weren't you. You're weren't-."

"I wasn't the me I am now." Liam sighed, "I got that." He looked down at the ground. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

Zayn's throat was dry. Liam was sweet, and he was so much more than he was before. It was strange for Zayn to see this, this human side of him entire peeled back and new. A fresh wound to pick at. He cleared his throat, "I'm actually going out with my friends right now."

"Oh." Liam shrugged a shoulder, using a side smile. "Maybe next time then?"

"Maybe." Zayn nodded.

Liam nodded, and looked down at the ground. "You should go then, I'm just heading back to the dorms." He gestured to the dorm buildings, "Have fun - with your friends and all."

"I will." Zayn said. Liam sounded so lonely, and he was. He didn't have any other person to know but the guys, and he tried going to classes and actually got a project done. Liam saw the sadness in Liam's eyes when Zayn said he was busy, and saw how quick he covered up his embarrassment in being rejected. He watched Liam ducked his head, moving to walk around Zayn, as he stuffed his hands in his pockets again. "Liam." He called.

"Yeah?" Liam turned, feet from him.

 

Zayn stared. Liam's stubble was light, but growing. His worn out leather jacket covering a graphic tee, and him in dark wash jeans. He looked the same, but he wasn't him. It made Zayn still admire him. In reality, he was still the same Liam. Zayn stepped up to him, reaching out to cup his cheek and leaned in. He pressed his lips gently to Liam's, closing his eyes as he inhaled the new warmth and same old musk of Liam in. Liam complied, closing his eyes and pressing his hands into Zayn's jacket to pull him closer. Zayn rest his forehead against Liam's, opening his eyes and looking down at his wet, huffing lips. He kissed them again before pulling back and looking at Liam's live expression, his cheeks red from the cold, and his eyes bright from the light of the lamp above them.

 

Liam started to smile the moment he saw the corner of Zayn's lips quirk up, he was smiling so bright by the time Zayn had smiled at him. "I think you should go to your friends."

Zayn shook his head, "To hell with them," he leaned in close again, pressing his forehead against Liam's and whispered over his lips. "I've waited too long for this." He kissed his lips.

"For what? For your friends to leave you alone and find me?"

"No," Zayn pulled him close, putting his hands behind Liam's head, "Just you." He said, mouthing over Liam's lips.

"Now?"

"Now." Zayn repeated, "You're a new man."

Liam sighed, "I'm human."

Zayn sighed back, almost sinking his entire weight on Liam. "You're human."

 

The words danced between them and almost excited them. Liam was human again, he could eat like the rest, and drink like the rest. He could get piss drunk, and he could get wasted. He could be around people without hurting them, or wanting their blood. He could be in a room with someone without having to hear their heartbeats pounding in his ears. He could hold someone without them complaining about his skin being so cold, he was warm, and his touches were soft. He was human. The jitters made Liam and Zayn laugh against each other's lips, mumbling words against their mouths, and holding each other close no matter the cold outside.

 

The murders stop. The fights on campus stop. The cases close, and everything goes back to the way it was before this whole accident. Most important - everyone's happy.

 

A whole new world had just opened up to them, and it was their job to keep that world shut tight. Together to fend off the vampires in London.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End. :) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was my life. Like - I loved this story like my other first Ziam story "In The Nick Of Time". Ziam is beautiful, and I loved this. Will always love it. Anyways. :) So, another great story coming to an end and I'd like to say it was really helpful hearing the feedback from the readers as I was writing it and maybe even when I finish it as well. If you will, leave me your favorite scene in the story and why. I also want to hear about your least favorite scene, because what's a good story without it's pros and cons? :) Like I said, enjoy and stay around for some other stories I will be making. Ehhem, a maybe-sequel-to-In-The-Nick-Of-Time, maybe? :D If you haven't checked out my other stories, please do so if you'd like. I'd recommend my other Ziam story, as said above, or the other Ziam "How Bad Do You Want It?" and a few of my other stories and one shots. I have my favorites and not so much favorites. I will work out a schedule for those sooner or later. But in the mean time, enjoy the stories up and leave me those comments to tell me what's going on in your mind. :) I'd love to hear it. Thank you so much for the people who commented as I was writing, and those who are reading this right now. You are the inspiration for me to keep writing and to get better. So, I thank you. :) Have a wonderful evening, night, or morning. You are loved, and you are important. Remember that. :) -Ayh

**Author's Note:**

> Aye. :) Eh, I kind of liked the first chapter. I don't know how this is going but I'll suck it up for a bit, but if I see I really don't like it or don't know where to go with it after the first chapters - I'll just end it instantly. Leave comments, if you will, suggest some things and I'll maybe consider them? Don't know where I'm going with this, but you know, some times you just have to wing it. Go with the flow, trust your gut, all that stuff. See you around then. :) -Ayh


End file.
